Gender, Bullying and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools
Least you were beginning to worry that I only read or listen to books I don't like, here's one I think was great and endorse.
Gender, Bullying and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools, by Elizabeth J. Meyer, Teachers' College Press, Columbia University, 2009.
Why do I like it? Well, to begin with the book describes schools and students in ways that match my experience. She writes in a language that speaks to educators, understands their concerns and addresses how to respond to problems.
She recognises that homophobia in schools is not just the problem of LGBTQ students, nor does it only effect LFBTQ students. I often use a statistic from the GSA Network in California, that 80% of all homophobic bullying in schools is targeted at heterosexual students. Meyer states "Any student whose behaviour is perceived to be different in some way can be isolated and harassed using anti-gay insults."(4) She's clear about why a teacher's failure to respond is a problem, "inaction on the part of educators teaches students that the institution of the school-and by extension society as a whole-condones such activity. By teaching students that all forms of gender harassment are tolerated, the school effectively supports the discriminatory attitudes that cause it to happen in the first place." (5). You can bet I am going to use that in a teacher training some day soon.
Some of the quotes I like (and really, read the book):
My greatest criticism of the book is that the actual primary source research Meyer conducted for the book, was based on eight (8) teachers. For such a significant topic, surely the research pool should have been larger, still the synthesis of the research data, the literature review and the legal case studies are a useful package and paint a clear and powerful picture of what is happening in schools. She's not said everything (leaving room for me to write a book) but she has indeed said enough, and what she has said, is accurate and useful.
If you would like more of Elizabeth Meyer's smarts, her main location on the web is here. From there you can follow links to a couple of blogs she writes, including one I am really enjoying on Gender and Schooling at Psychology Today.
Gender, Bullying and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools, by Elizabeth J. Meyer, Teachers' College Press, Columbia University, 2009.
Why do I like it? Well, to begin with the book describes schools and students in ways that match my experience. She writes in a language that speaks to educators, understands their concerns and addresses how to respond to problems.
She recognises that homophobia in schools is not just the problem of LGBTQ students, nor does it only effect LFBTQ students. I often use a statistic from the GSA Network in California, that 80% of all homophobic bullying in schools is targeted at heterosexual students. Meyer states "Any student whose behaviour is perceived to be different in some way can be isolated and harassed using anti-gay insults."(4) She's clear about why a teacher's failure to respond is a problem, "inaction on the part of educators teaches students that the institution of the school-and by extension society as a whole-condones such activity. By teaching students that all forms of gender harassment are tolerated, the school effectively supports the discriminatory attitudes that cause it to happen in the first place." (5). You can bet I am going to use that in a teacher training some day soon.
Some of the quotes I like (and really, read the book):
- On why gender non-conforming boys and girls do not face the same pressures: "... our society's tendency to devalue qualities associated with femininity make this gender performance harder on nonconforming boys than on nonconforming girls" (7)
- On why training bystanders to intervene is important: "harassment is usually a public event, most harassers are fellow students, most harassers are male, and in most cases adults do not take appropriate action against the offender(s)" (19)
- On why it is so important for teachers to intervene: "...where students see teachers stop negative comments and slurs based on sexual orientation, they report less name-calling and stronger feelings of school safety."(19)
- On why it is so important to confront teacher's behaviour: "School personnel harassing students is an abuse of power capable of sending a message that harassment will go unpunished and is thus acceptable."(34)
- On why policy alone is not the answer: "...school culture is much more likely than official policies and procedures to determine what it is that students, teachers, and administrators say and do. This means that teachers are more inclined to act in ways that reflect shared norms and values of other teachers than in ways defined by school policy."(37)
- Why changing behaviour alone is not enough: "if teachers do not believe in equity based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression, their internal influences will act as additional barriers to confronting acts of gendered harassment when they occur. It is for this reason that teacher education programs must include a deeper understanding of diversity and equity issues related to sex, gender, and sexual orientation..." (65)
My greatest criticism of the book is that the actual primary source research Meyer conducted for the book, was based on eight (8) teachers. For such a significant topic, surely the research pool should have been larger, still the synthesis of the research data, the literature review and the legal case studies are a useful package and paint a clear and powerful picture of what is happening in schools. She's not said everything (leaving room for me to write a book) but she has indeed said enough, and what she has said, is accurate and useful.
If you would like more of Elizabeth Meyer's smarts, her main location on the web is here. From there you can follow links to a couple of blogs she writes, including one I am really enjoying on Gender and Schooling at Psychology Today.