LGBT omission in high schools detrimental
Sexual minorities are consistently left out of secondary education curricula. Students who self-identify as LGBT are more likely to drop out of school, commit suicide and report being bullied than their peers. National statistics suggest that between 5 and 10 percent of youth are LGBT, making it likely that there will be a self-identifying member of the LGBT community in any given classroom.
Studies have reported that a majority of prospective teachers opposed integrating gay and lesbian themes into their existing curricula and would not encourage a classroom discussion on homosexuality. These studies present the problem of exclusion and a shortage of opportunities for LGBT students to relate to secondary school content on a personal level.
A 2009 survey found that feelings of victimization and lack of personal security were reported to be significantly lower in schools that practiced LGBT inclusive curricula as opposed to schools that did not. These findings are demonstrative of how beneficial LGBT-inclusive curricula can be.
Not allowing students equal access to an education is a violation of their rights as American citizens, and as teachers we are doing a disservice by denying them the opportunity. It's time to be responsible for all of our students, not just the ones who fit a specific, outdated code of morality.