How Schools Can Support Equity and Inclusion with Author Visits
by Robin Stevenson
Education is key to social justice, equity and inclusion: people tend to fear what they do not understand. Schools can play a critical role in combatting prejudice, and they have a responsibility to support all their students—but when LGBTQ issues arise, librarians and educators often face obstacles.
Last spring, I visited schools and libraries in B.C., Ontario and Quebec, talking about my newest book. Pride: Celebrating Diversity and Community is about the LGBTQ rights movement, the diverse community that celebrates pride and the challenges still faced by LGBTQ people today. It includes historical photographs, stories of contemporary kids and teens, and images of pride celebrations around the world, and it is aimed at readers age nine to 14.
My presentations were well received; the students were very enthusiastic, and teachers commented on the importance of this discussion in their schools. Many students shared personal stories, talking about family members who were gay, lesbian or trans, or asking for advice about how to come out to their parents. Some LGBTQ students were very emotional, saying that no one had ever talked about this subject in their schools before. Other young people spoke up as allies, wanting to help make their schools more inclusive and supportive. However, along with these positive experiences, I also encountered challenges unlike anything I’ve experienced in my 10 years as an author and presenter.
In one case, I was scheduled to present to elementary students at a public library. No one attended—and I learned from the librarian that the school’s principal had, on short notice, withdrawn permission for the teacher to bring her classes. The reason given was concerns about Pride’s content and possible parental objections, but because I had no direct contact with the school, I wasn’t able to address the principal’s concerns.
The following week, I was scheduled to present at an elementary school. A few days before my visit, I received an e-mail asking me not to discuss Pride. The teacher felt the subject wasn’t appropriate for the students (grades 5 and 6), as they hadn’t yet discussed “the topic of sexuality.” She asked if I would instead talk about my other books. In particular, she wrote, could I discuss more relevant topics such as “bullying, friendship and family life”?
Oh, the irony. Concern about bullying was one of the reasons I wrote Pride, and the book is all about the importance of accepting and celebrating different identities, relationships and families. The teacher’s response revealed a common misconception: anything related to LGBTQ issues is about sexuality and therefore inappropriate for children.
This story has a happy ending. I explained that Pride was written specifically for this age group and pointed out that equal rights, acceptance and diversity were highly relevant to bullying, friendship and family life. After getting some reassurance, the school agreed to let me talk about the book—and the presentation went very well indeed.
Many librarians and teachers who invited me to their schools admitted to concern about complaints from parents. “It’s an important topic,” one librarian told me, “so I’m prepared to deal with the fallout.”
How can educators and librarians prepare for author visits when they fear negative reactions from parents or administrators? It is crucial to have read the book and spoken to the author about the presentation to address any concerns based in lack of knowledge or misunderstanding. Having a clear rationale about why the visit is relevant to the students is also important. Policies supporting equity and inclusion exist at provincial and school-board levels as well as within individual schools. Educators and librarians can draw on these policies to support a challenged book or presentation. Read about Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, for example, at edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/equity.html.
We’re also seeing more policies to support LGBTQ students. At press time, B.C. schools were required to include protection for LGBTQ students in their anti-bullying policies by the end of 2016, and Alberta required school boards to have LGBTQ policies in place by March 2016.
Finally, it helps to have allies within the school—and when issues of equity and inclusion arise, progressive librarians and educators can play an important role in educating their colleagues and students.
Robin Stevenson (robinstevenson.com) is an award-winning author of 19 novels for kids and teens. Pride: Celebrating Diversity and Community is her first work of non-fiction. She lives in Victoria, B.C.
Reprinted from Freedom to Read Kit 2017.