About This Title

All students deserve a safe, respectful school environment

Students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered are susceptible to harassment from their peers and are at high risk of dropping out of school. This book provides professional development ideas and real-life vignettes that will help educational leaders foster a more caring school culture not only for LGBT students, but for all students. Peter DeWitt presents specific strategies for school leaders that include:

• Implementing a student code of conduct and school board policies to safeguard students
• Helping staff members recognize and respond to overt and covert LGBT issues
• Professional development guidelines to equip staff to intervene
• Ways to include appropriate LGBT topics in the curriculum
• Supporting Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) in middle and high school settings

This practical and compassionate guide contains numerous cases and examples, strategies and templates for codes of conduct (including the NY Code), book study questions, and links to pertinent articles, websites, and blogs for further information. Dignity for All helps inform educators of the issues and methods for building acceptance in a diverse world.