Transcending Rainbow Flags and Pride Parades: Preparing Special Education Preservice Educators to Work with Gay and Lesbian Youth

Abstract

M had just finished teaching her last English class of the day when Jeffrey popped his head back in the door and asked to speak to her. As a first year teacher, Michelle was anxious to get to know her students and help them with English assignments whenever she had the opportunity. She knew Jeffery struggled with a learning disability and she was always appreciative when he came in for extra tutoring. Jeffrey, with a tear running down his freckled cheek, took a seat next to Michelle’s desk and began to talk to her about other students taunting him with epithets such as “queer, fag, punk ass and Miss Jeff.” Michele was caught off guard. She had heard these taunts in the hallways, yet had pretended to not hear them. After calming him down and escorting him to the counselor’s office, Michelle sat down with the chair of the English department to get her advice on how to quell the taunts and how she could have handled the situation with Jeff. The English department chair chalked it up to high school pranks and advised Michelle to “leave it alone.”