The Right to Be Out

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America’s Public Schools, Second Edition

2018
Author:

Stuart Biegel

An updated edition of this measured, practical, and timely guide to LGBT rights and issues for educators and school officials

With ongoing battles over transgender rights, bullying cases in the news almost daily, and marriage equality only recently the law of the land, this book could not be more timely. In an updated edition that explores the altered legal terrain of LGBT rights for students and educators, Stuart Biegel offers expert guidance on the most challenging concerns in this fraught context.

With ongoing battles over transgender rights, bullying cases in the news almost daily, and marriage equality only recently the law of the land, the information in The Right to Be Out could not be more timely or welcome. In an updated second edition that explores the altered legal terrain of LGBT rights for students and educators, Stuart Biegel offers expert guidance on the most challenging concerns in this fraught context.

Taking up the pertinent questions likely to arise regarding curriculum and pedagogy in the classroom, school sports, and transgender issues, Biegel reviews the dramatic legal developments of the past decades, identifies the principles at work, and analyzes the policy considerations that result from these changes. Central to his work is an understanding of the social, political, and personal tensions regarding the nature and extent of the right to be out, which includes both the First Amendment right to express an identity and the Fourteenth Amendment right to be treated equally. Acknowledging that LGBT issues affect people of every sexual orientation and gender identity, Biegel provides a road map of viable strategies for school officials and educators.

The Right to Be Out, informed by the latest research-based findings, advances the proposition that a safe and supportive educational environment, built upon shared values and geared toward a greater appreciation of our pluralistic society, can lead to a better world for everyone.

Stuart Biegel is a member of the emeriti faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he continues his teaching and research at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and the School of Law.

Preface to the Second Edition
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I. The Law: The Emergence of the Right to Be Out
1. The Legal Foundations of the Right to Be Out
2. Marriage Equality and Its Aftermath
3. Emerging Rights of LGBT Students: The Impact of Litigation and Legislation
4. Challenges for LGBT Educators: The Tension between Rights on Paper and the Realities of the Classroom
5. Curriculum, Religion, Morality, and Values
Part II. Public Policy: Implementing the Right to Be Out
6. Addressing School Climate: Goals and Best Practices
7. Creating Change in the Classroom: Curriculum, Pedagogy, and LGBT Content
8. The Culture of School Sports: From Physical Education to Interscholastic Athletics
9. Confronting the Challenges Faced by Transgender Youth
Conclusion
Notes
Index