As the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) youth in school increases, schools around the country are having to deal with the harassment of students and the opinions of parents. 

I personally feel that students are kind to their fellow LGBT+ peers with the addition of clubs such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA). Also, many sports are becoming accepting of transgender athletes, although I feel that the problems are from teachers and parents who grew up with the knowledge that it was a sin to be gay with their conservative upbringing. The times have been improving, but the older generations are very stubborn and do not want to change their opinion.  

From bathrooms and locker rooms to dividing the classes between boys and girls in gym classes, teachers and administrators have to be careful dealing with students so as to not get bombarded by angry parents. The Washington Post posted that parents in Woodburn, Oregon, sued their son’s school district because his second-grade teacher pulled him aside and asked if he was transgender. His parents quoted that “He feels confused” with his teacher confronting him like this. 

Parents try to find the best for their children and jump right to sue the school or fight new laws to “protect their children ” from the scary LGBT+. While this lawsuit could prove that teachers don’t really understand how to deal with these new issues. While teachers deal with the issues of dealing with students face to face, the state is forced to intervene to make life easier for these students. 

More evidence of parents believing that the LGBT+ should not be talked about in school is posted by The Daily Signal. These parents in New Jersey believe that parents need to be educated so that they will be able to rally against the new LGBT+ laws. A spokesperson, Victoria Jakelsky, states that they just want to  “provide parents a way to protect their children.” 

Although the state tries to educate these students parents are still not open to change. These growing numbers of parents who are rallying against these state decisions make it harder for any change to occur. This change is needed in many school districts so that students will feel more comfortable in their own bodies. 

According to the U.S. News Illinois has become the fourth state to make requite public schools to teach about LGBT+ history in their schools. Illinois is following California from 2011, then Colorado and New Jersey in 2019. This has brought out some debate since six states still have laws prohibiting the “promotions of homosexuality”.

I believe that it is smart to teach about LGBT+ history in school because it seems as if teachers try to avoid the topic as to not cause a debate in their classes. I feel like some students who identify as LGBT+ do not understand what that really means because they are not educated enough. Some could even think that it is not normal to like the same gender or just hide it away and could never be themselves. 

While some states have laws protecting their LGBT+ youths others such as Alabama, South Carolina and Texas don’t have any rules protecting these students in the schools. According to Human Rights Watch students, such as Josh Greer (public school student in Utah), says that school is “like walking through a Hailstorm”. With students being slammed into lockers to transgender girls not being able to wear dresses to Homecoming. They can’t even keep their GSA posters from being vandalized and torn down.

Our school is lucky to have access to the internet so that students at our school are able to learn and get help from trusted adults. Since I feel that our school is very LGBT+ friendly with all the resources that are given out. From our GSA club, with its poster still standing, and our many trusted adults our school is lucky to be so included.