What is your role in advocating for ALL students?

Creating a safe school environment for all students, includes creating a safe school environment of those within the GLBTQ community as well. This is by far a very important national conversation. The way we handle topics such as bathroom privileges discussed in the article from California in 2013, AB 1266 allowing transgendered students to select school facilities by their self perceived gender rather than their birth gender; is important as educators, because we become the role models for our students in how they should also respond.

As a future school counselor, I believe I will have a very huge part in talking with kids about such topics as this. I think the most important thing to do is to educate. In the school community I plan to serve as an ally to the GLBTQ community and advocate for all students. It is important that children of all ages learn to accept others differences, and I, as a school counselor, hope to model that level of acceptance I expect they would give one another. 

With anti-bully campaigns and lessons, I hope my future school will stand together to discourage wrongful mistreatment of students. The GLBTQ community is a different culture just like any other country or nationality out there. In order to respect on another, we must learn about one another. I think creating an open environment for free discussion and questions about different life styles is important, along with creating a safe environment for those who are different. I plan to have a "safe box" outside my office for those who want to talk to me about any topic deemed necessary. That is one step I would make to modeling my office is a safe place and I am a safe person to talk to, for all students.