Heterosexist Attitudes in Schools

1. Heterosexist Attitudes in Schools • Elizabeth A Baczkiewicz • Luther H Christensen • Elenore C Schoenfeld • June 30, 2004 • University of Minnesota Duluth

2. Safer Schools Task Force • Our mission is to increase visibility and advance the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) people in educational institutions in the Duluth-Superior region.

3. Research Questions • What is the nature of school climate for GLBT youth in the Duluth Area? • To what extent do high school students in the Duluth area feel they are subjected to homophobic/heterosexist attitudes in school? • To what extent are there differences in school climate and attitudes related to GLBT youth between the schools, grade levels of the students, and gender in terms of what attitudes they have and/or the extent to which GLBT youth are subjected to these attitudes?

4. The sample was a total of 481, 247 male and 229 female, students between grades 8 and 12. Students were sampled from Duluth East (157), Duluth Denfeld (126), Duluth Central (123) Two Harbors (74) Methods and Sampling

5. School Total Enrollment Total Minority Percent Minority Free or reduced meal Percent free or reduced meal Two Harbors 614 11 1.8% 106 17% Central 1082 184 17% 317 29% East 1430 81 6% 104 7% Denfeld 1197 103 9% 461 39% Demographics of Schools

6. 18 respondents 7 female and 11 male. Students ranged in age from 15 to 21 years old. Notes from eighteen qualitative interviews given by Together for Youth were also used which included questions about their experiences in high school using an informal interview outline Together for Youth

7. Heterosexist attitudes in school by examining the following items: the use of remarks such as “sissy,” “that’s gay,” “faggot,” “dyke,” and “queer;” the number of times that a person does not take a stand against these remarks; the kinds of messages, if any, teachers and students give about heterosexuality and homosexuality; the presence of a Gay-Straight Alliance or support group; the knowledge of an anti-discriminatory policy at school. School climate by examining the following items: have students skipped class and/or school because they felt unsafe; do students feel that heterosexuals and/or homosexuals are safe at their school; have students seen other students physically harmed for their sexual orientation or the sexual orientation they are perceived to be. Definitions

8. Analysis • We analyzed the frequencies and percentages of the data to describe heterosexist attitudes and school climate. • We made comparisons between grade level, school of origin and gender. • We also used cross tabulation analysis and chi-square statistics. • Qualitative analysis was undertaken to identify and group main themes.

9. “In the past month, have you skipped class because you felt uncomfortable or unsafe in that class?” 91.5% reported that they never skipped class because they felt uncomfortable. 8.5% skipped one or more times. “In the past month, have you not gone to school because you felt uncomfortable or unsafe at school or on your way to school?” 94% of students reported that they have not skipped school because they have felt uncomfortable or unsafe 6% had one or more times. Results Climate

10. “I feel that a heterosexual student is safe in my school.” 90% of students agree that heterosexual students are safe in their school. “I feel that a homosexual, bisexual, or transgendered student is safe in my school.” 42% agree that GLBT students are safe in their school 36% disagree and 22% were undecided. Results Climate

11. “Have you seen another student physically harmed for their sexual orientation or the orientation that other students believe them to be in the last month?” 22% report that they have seen at least one student physically harmed in the last month for their sexuality or the sexuality that other students perceive them to be. “How safe do you feel in school?” 59% of students feel very safe in school. 36% feel sometimes safe. 5% rarely or never safe. Results Climate

12. Anything else you want to share Climate? • “I think it’s a good environment for all” • “Gays, and Homosexuals should be thrown out of school. If it was my choice and choices of many others they should be shot. It is totally not right to be homosexual” • “I fell the straight kids are safe, the not straight kids could have trouble, unless they’re popular, which is rare” • “I think that homosexual and bisexual are pretty safe but they get picked on a lot”

13. “Are you aware of an anti-discriminatory policy at your school?” 61% of students are not aware of an anti-discriminatory policy. “Do you know of any students that openly identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered?” 34% of students reported that they do not know any openly GLBT students. 66% know at least one. Results Attitudes

14. “What kinds of messages, if any, about sexuality do you get in school from teachers?” 55% of students reported that they get no messages about sexuality from teachers, However, of those that do get messages, 71% of them are sometimes or always positive. “What kinds of messages, if any, about homosexuality do you get in school from teachers?” 67% of students said that they got no messages about homosexuality from teachers. Of those who reported getting messages, 55% said that some or all were positive. Results Attitudes

15. “What kinds of messages, if any, about homosexuality do you get in school from other students?” 80% reported that they got some messages about homosexuality from other students. Of the students who got messages only 14% said that some or all those messages were positive. 86% said that some or all were negative. “Does your school have a gay-straight alliance or a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students?” Only 14% are aware if their school has a support group/GSA for GLBT teens. Results Attitudes

16. “Have you heard remarks such as “That’s so gay,” “You’re gay,” “faggot,” “dyke,” “queer,” “sissy,” etc.? made by students?” 66% of students reported that they hear remarks such as gay faggot dyke queer etc. daily by other students. Only 5% said that they never hear these remarks. “Have you heard remarks such as “That’s so gay,” “You’re gay,” “faggot,” “dyke,” “queer,” “sissy,” etc.? made by teachers?” 29% of students said that they heard these remarks made by teachers, though most often rarely. Results Attitudes

17. “Have you heard such remarks made by students?” o   65.5% of students said that heterosexist comments are made by most students, 18.4% of students said that these comments are made by some students, 11.2% of students said that these comments are made by a few students, 4.9% said that no students make them at all. “Have you heard such remarks made by teachers?” 77.5% of students said that these heterosexist comments are made by no teachers, 18.4% of students said that these comments are made by a few teachers, 1.6% of students said that these comments are made by some teachers, 2.5% of students said that these comments are made by most teachers. Results Attitudes

18. “If you have heard such remarks how often does someone say something [students] about it?” 36% of students said that other students never say anything about these remarks. 59% of the students that said students do say something, said they only say something rarely. “If you have heard such remarks how often does someone say something [teachers] about it?” 38% of students said that teachers never say anything in response to such comments. 56% of those teachers who said something, said it rarely. Results Attitudes

19. Anything else you wish to share, Attitudes? Thirty-two of the responses were related to heterosexist attitudes. • Six were from students who were aware of the problem of heterosexist attitudes, students said: • “I think staff/Teachers should be a lot more supportive” • “anyone homosexual in school is usually teased” • Twenty-six were from students whose responses indicated that they did not have a positive attitude towards homosexuals. Students said: • “No, gay support group crap” • “Gay support groups are a waste of money” • “I am antigay and gays shouldn’t be known or in school We shouldn’t have gay discussions.” • “Faggots should not be allowed in school it is wrong and should go to a gay school”

20. Together for Youth Attitudes Eight had these things to say about being gay in high school: • “scary” • “not safe” • “looked down upon.” • “no safe place” • “no one safe to talk to”

21. Number Percent Number Percent Two Harbors 61 84.7% 11 15.3% Central 85 70.2% 36 29.8% East 141 91.0% 14 9.0% Denfeld 100 80.0% 25 20.0% Results Differences by School Number of Students seen physically harmed in the past month

22. Conclusions • In order to improve school climate and reduce the extent to which students are subjected to heterosexist attitudes, we recommend the following: • Establish and foster the growth of Gay Straight Alliances. • Have an anti discriminatory policy, which explicitly includes sexual orientation. • Educate students and teachers on the discrimination policy in their school and hold them accountable to it. • Integrate GLBT inclusive curriculum into the schools. • Train teachers, staff and administration how to better support GLBT youth throughout their high school experience. • Teach allies skills to effectively intervene when heterosexist language/behavior is observed.

23. Summary • We conclude that the nature of school climate for GLBT youth is not particularly safe in the schools surveyed. High school students are subjected to alarmingly prevalent amounts of heterosexist attitudes in school. There are some differences between schools and grade levels, but the most statistically significant differences are between genders. In light of our limitations, these findings should still be considered. Given these results it would be important to further address these issues.

24. Closing • I encourage members of the Task Force to read the whole paper and brainstorm for ideas for how to proceed with this new information. • Thanks • Luther Hans Christensen • 1507 Tower Ave ste 230 • Superior, WI 54880