Welcome to the SafeSchoolsNC 4th Annual LGBTQ+ Conference for Staff and School Communities!
Here you will find out session information, session presenters, and the session feedback links.
The 2018 Conference Theme:
The theme for our 4th Annual Conference is "Agency, Solidarity, Healing." We'll have sessions that address reclaiming power through story, self, language and learning (Agency), how participants can build meaningful connections across lines of difference (Solidarity), and the importance of individual and collective healing for the sake of wholeness, liberation, justice, and equity (Healing).
Agency Pathway
Disrupting Heteronormative School Cultures at the Elementary LevelPresenter: Meg Goodhand
Location: Room 1602 Session Feedback Survey This presentation is intended for a diverse audience of practitioners, activists, teachers or anyone interested in creating safe positive school cultures for all students. Disrupting Heteronormative School Cultures will help participants identify and define terminology associated with the LGBTQ community. We will explore the manifestations of homophobia within the schools, share and reflect upon the barriers to disrupting heterosexism, and collaborate on ways school leaders and teachers can confront homophobic language/actions/curricula within the schools, specifically at the elementary level. In addition, participants will be provided with ideas and resources to utilize at their own schools to begin to disrupt heteronormative cultures. Reimagining Health 101: Considerations for a More Inclusive Health Education ExperiencePresenters: Imari Z. Smith & Varsha S. Subramanyam
Location: Room 1606 Session Feedback Survey With increasing awareness and acknowledgement of LGBTQ+ student populations, the desire to update health education curricula is more urgent than ever before. Health professionals and educators must prioritize creating inclusive environments for students of all sexual and gender identities as a strategy to improve disparate health outcomes. Issues relevant to this particular student demographic often goes ignored during instructional settings, failing to provide LGBTQ+ students with the information and resources they need to best maximize their health outcomes. Outcomes also vary by race, class, and other facets of individuals’ intersectional identities. This workshop will aim to discuss the critical gaps in current health education curricula in addressing the differing needs of LGBTQ+ students, especially LGBTQ+ students of color in navigating decisions about their health. |
Incorporating Diversity and Inclusion Into Science CurriculaPresenter: Daniel Wheeler
Location: Room 1604 Session Feedback Survey In addition to its mission statement, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center (MPSC) also has a diversity and inclusion statement. As part of the philosophy that informs these statements, MPSC has an Outreach Department that serves all 100 counties of North Carolina, and it is devoted to promoting equity and inclusivity in its science education. In this session, MPSC education staff will share their strategies and thoughts on providing and creating lessons that are accessible and inclusive, while balancing an inclusive message with robust science content. We will emphasize an interdisciplinary approach, as well as engage in discussion to help you brainstorm ways to incorporate these ideas into your own program Keeping Up with the Legal Landscape: Laws and Policies to Support Safe and Welcoming SchoolsPresenter: Susanne Schmal
Location: Room 1608 Session Feedback Survey This session will provide an overview of Constitutional protections for LGBTQ students and families as well as federal, state, and local laws as they pertain to creating safe and welcoming schools. The legal landscape is constantly evolving, but we will share current trends and the direction the courts are leaning. We will engage in a case study activity to analyze the legal aspects and best practices implemented in schools. *We are not providing any legal advice as part of this session.* |
