Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1500904
• Know the rights guaranteed by the FAIR Education Act and state Education Code 233.5 (see sidebars). • Be familiar with Seth's Law (Education Code 234-234.5) and other laws in place to protect students who are LGBTQ+. • Prominently display rainbows and Pride flags in classrooms and on campus. • Include people who are LGBTQ+ in your lessons and curriculum. • Follow the California History-Social Science Framework, which includes LGBTQ+ History and LGBTQ+ Americans specifically in second, fourth, fifth, eighth, 11th and 12th-grade history curriculum. • Say your pronouns when you introduce yourself to a student or the class. • Recognize students' preferred names and use them in class. • Always advocate for better inclusion policies at your school. • Negotiate binary language out of your collective bargaining agreement. • Request a training from the CTA Human Rights Cadre. • Request a School Board Proclamation for Pride Month and a ceremony to raise the Pride flag. • During the district's textbook adoption process, make sure the materials comply with the FAIR Act. • When your local association interviews school board candidates for potential endorsement, ask how they will support students and staff who are LGBTQ+. • Make sure your class and school library have LGBTQ+ books. Stonewall Book Award winners and the California Department of Education are a good place to start. • Ask yourself "If any student walked into my classroom, would they see themselves in it?" • Apply for a CTA LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools Grant in Honor of Guy DeRosa, which supports LGBTQ+ groups, projects and presentations that promote understanding and respect for people who are LGBTQ+ (see cta.org/awards). • Find out if your local association has an LGBTQ+ Advocacy Coordinator and if not, ask why? • Attend the CTA LGBTQ+ Issues Conference. How to Create an Inclusive Classroom and School Educators shared the following tips and best practices for creating safe and inclusive spaces at school: 21 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3