Parents or Caring Adults

Here are some ideas for what you can do in your school community.

• Collaboration is key. Talking and working with other people in your school community is a good place to start. Work with the PTO/PTA, administrators, teachers or counselors.
• Show the film, What Do You Know?  to begin discussion on how educators and families together can work to stop hurtful teasing and gay putdowns or to help parents and guardians develop language to talk about gay and lesbian topics with their kids.
• Contact our regional Welcoming Schools consultants to help figure out what would be some good first steps in your school and school district.
• Organize evening events to recognize family diversity in your school or hold forums to look at hurtful teasing and bullying.
• To develop a more welcoming school, take a look at Keys to Success to help you think about what steps you need to take in your community.
• Check out our recommendations for picture and chapter books for schools and families. Some of our booklists highlight all kinds of families, others are inclusive of gay family members or characters. Some books have characters that in expansive gender roles, others look at bullying in school.
• Find out what your school district is doing to stop bias based bullying. Look at existing policies and programs and advocate for fair policies and practices related to all students and their families.

Welcoming Schools can help parents/guardians be more connected to their schools and take an active role to make schools welcoming and safe environments for all children and their families.