An Alabama high school situated in Selma has been selected to receive a grant aimed at supporting LGBTQ+ students and promoting their well-being. The grant, awarded by the “It Gets Better Project,” includes financial aid for a field trip to a significant queer heritage site and resources to foster LGBTQ+ literature within the school.
A Fantastic Opportunity
Central to the grant is the funding for a field trip that will take students to a queer heritage site. The excursion promises not only to educate and enlighten but also to instill a sense of pride among LGBTQ+ individuals. Moreover, it will honor the struggles and accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community while offering an invaluable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of queer issues.
The Importance of LGBTQ+ Literature
Equally significant is the allocation of funds for the enrichment of LGBTQ+ literature within the school’s library. The grant recognizes the immense power of literature in shaping perspectives and fostering empathy. By enhancing the range of LGBTQ+ authors available to students, the school is taking a remarkable stride toward creating a more inclusive and compassionate educational environment.
Ensuring LGBTQ+ Students Feel Welcome
The “It Gets Better Project” stands as a beacon of hope for LGBTQ+ youth across every state in the nation and their dedication to creating change within schools is unwavering. The project’s Executive Director, Brian Wenke, highlighted the urgency of cultivating a sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ students. Speaking to 1819 News, he said: “Amid ongoing efforts to silence or stigmatize discussion about LGBTQ+ identity in the classroom, it’s more important than ever to ensure that LGBTQ+ students feel that they are welcomed, accepted, and able to be their full selves at school.”
Celebrating and Empowering LGBTQ+ Students
Wenke continued: “Through the ‘50 States, 50 Grants, 5000 Voices’ program, we are giving students, teachers, and administrators the resources they have determined they need to help make their schools more LGBTQ+ inclusive and supportive. We’re so excited to watch these projects flourish and see the ways that schools and entire communities will benefit from these efforts to celebrate and empower their LGBTQ+ students.”
Spaces That Inspire and Embolden
The “It Gets Better Project” has explicitly expressed its intention to support projects that uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ+ youth within educational institutions. The spectrum of potential endeavors is vast, from vibrant murals that celebrate the diversity of LGBTQ+ identities to the expansion of libraries with literature penned by LGBTQ+ authors. The initiative’s openness to various proposals reflects its profound belief in the capacity of schools to evolve into spaces that inspire and embolden.
The Internet Responded
News of the project was shared across social media and it garnered a variety of opinions from the general public. “How about teaching math, science, English, [and] history? Or just basic life skills? What happened to all that?” one person wrote. “They do teach all of those. This trip is a history lesson,” another hit back.
The LGBTQ+ Community Was Delighted
The LGBTQ+ community was delighted by the news. “This is very nice to hear and I wish we’d had something like it in my school. Queer kids will feel seen and accepted and cis and straight kids will learn something good. It could help prevent homophobia and transphobia too,” one person wrote.
LGBTQ+ Authors and Literature
Others praised the project for its effort to increase the number of LGBTQ+ authors whose books are available in the school’s library. “Trip aside, I think the bit about the books is really good. It’s really important for kids to have access to a variety of authors so they can see things from new perspectives. It’ll open minds and fight bigotry,” one person wrote.
Teaching Kids History
Some commenters tried to clear up confusion. One individual wrote: “To everyone saying that schools should just teach, they are. They’re teaching kids about important parts of history and they’re teaching them not to be homophobic. This is necessary and it’s a good thing.”
A Positive Step
Others said teaching kids about queer history is common sense. “As [someone] who witnessed verbal and physical bullying of kids who were different for a multitude of reasons, I think this is a positive step,” one person said. “Seems like common sense, doesn’t it? Based on most of the comments here, it appears to be in short supply,” another replied.
Some People Weren’t Pleased
Some commenters didn’t understand why LGBTQ+ education is so important. One such individual wrote: “What a monumental waste of time! This will never help with SAT scores! Will never help with getting ahead in one’s career! This is nothing more than the left pushing an agenda during a time when students should be learning what is needed to move forward academically! This is not it!”
Heated Debate Dominated Comment Sections
LGBTQ+ allies tried to help people understand. “How about we stop brainwashing kids with LGBT garbage and focus on important things like English, math, and science instead?” one person said. “Because English, math, and science are useless to queer kids once they’ve been murdered by bigots. Education like this stops bigotry before it develops. Also, it’s history,” another hit back.
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