Gay teachers

In 28 states there is no comprehensive protection for LGBTQ educators against employment discrimination. LGBTQ teachers open up as their schools -- and identities -- become next front in the culture war Supporters of new bans hope to "redraw" boundaries between school and home.

In America for some reason right now, a Black woman speaking is a bad thing. And I think for them, what was lost is the sense that America is heteronormative and that queerness is bad. And students decorated the board in a delightful way—with pride flags, other flags, just everything that sort of represents who they are so they can feel valued.

The bannings started happening. Willie Edward Taylor Carver, Jr. But despite the accolades, he may not return to the classroom next fall. The impact of gay teachers in education is profound and far-reaching. My existence is somehow immoral. I was the first to go to college.

You matter. School was a place of light and hope. School was a place where we could eat. I have about first cousins. There was never another [career] option for me—this is what I want to do with my life. No one will protect you, including me. This glaring lack of legal support for LGBTQ teachers who face hostility creates a school environment that may be unsafe for teachers and students alike.

For the most part, people have been accepting. And in America for some reason, equality is a bad word now. Having so many issues with violence, dependency, poverty, hopelessness—school was not that. The effect that this has in real time on the classroom is immediate.

From providing support and guidance to LGBTQ+ students to promoting inclusivity and acceptance among all students, gay teachers play a crucial role in creating a safe and welcoming school environment. As teachers across the country begin the school year, they face over number of anti-LGBTQ+ education laws and ramped-up attacks by conservatives.

Historically and presently, LGBTQ educators specifically have faced challenges being their authentic selves. You know, we were actually having progress as a country. They gave me shoes [they bought with] their personal money. My teachers not only expanded my world, but they injected it with light and love.

I grew up Appalachian. There were moments of extreme poverty: no electricity, no running water. Things that I thought were in the past were not. This interview was edited for length and clarity. In the current divisive and challenging climate in the United States, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people struggle to find their safe spaces, especially in schools.

Therefore, they felt emboldened. Willie Carver, Jr., the Kentucky Teacher of the Year, is questioning his future as a teacher given recent anti-LGBTQ legislative efforts. And then it kind of changed, both on an individual scale for me and on a national scale for all of us, probably four or five years ago.

This whole journey is because teachers pushed me. Some LGBTQ teachers have fought efforts to silence them through visibility, turning to TikTok and other social media to reach an audience beyond their classroom.