Carri Schneider
05/25/05 Macgillivray’s
“Sexual Orientation & School Policy”
It seems logical that the next step in our discussion involving diversity and school leadership should include issues of sexual orientation and school policy. I think that Macgillivray’s book is an excellent choice to begin this discussion, because it meets its goal of providing “A Practical Guide for Teachers, Administrators, and Community Activists”.
This book is a good one because it keeps bringing us back to the realization that we are denying the human rights of a legitimate group of students, those that are LGBTQ, when we limit our understanding of diversity within just ethnic and racial parameters. Macgillivray talks openly about the pitfalls of this type of thinking and shares the real stories of school districts that have grappled with this discussion. That is, should they or shouldn’t they include sexual orientation language in their school policies? I think MacGillivray makes a strong case for why it is important to do so.
However, I think the strength of Macgillivray’s book comes not only from the discussion of including these policies, but rather from his discussion about implementing these policies. I am very interested, as I have stated throughout this quarter’s reflections, in the difference between the promise of equality versus the delivery of equality. We have seen evidence of the gap between rhetoric and reality throughout our readings dealing with race. However, Macgillivray broadens the discussion to include evidence that when it comes to schools, the promise of equality to LGBTQ students in the creation of a school policy comes a long way from actually delivering this equality. This is why Macgillivray’s book is successful in meeting its goal. While he does spend ample time defining the problem, he quickly dives into the creation of solutions. Most importantly, he discusses the importance of proper implementation of these solutions. I liked how Macgillivray related the implementation of sexual orientation policies to any organizational change (quoting good ole’ friend Fullan from my ADA days). Above all else, schools have to realize that just including nonmainstream sexual identities in the student handbook will not change the experiences of these students. Rather, the school must go through an involved change process that requires dedication and a long-term commitment to the goals of the policy. I think strong leadership is essential here, which is also why this book is a necessity for any current or future educational leader.
I think it’s also important to state that this book is important for school leaders, because it provides the teacher or principal with good arguments to use in discussions with more conservative community members who may oppose the implementation of school policies that relate to sexual orientation. This is a “hot topic” in our increasingly conservative “family values” culture. And, as Macgillivray shows, there are numerous angles that people take to attack his position. However, I believe that Macgillivray successfully shows the reasons why school policy should include sexual orientation, how to face resistance from community members and parents, and how to implement and evaluate the policies. Like everything else I suppose, it takes determination and collaboration.