Non-Heterosexual Students Journey Toward Safer Schools
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ABSTRACT EATON, LUCILLE ELIZABETH. Constructing Rainbow Classrooms: Non-heterosexual Students Journey Toward Safer Schools. (under the direction of Anna Victoria Wilson and Bonnie Fusarelli) According to the 2003 National Student Climate Survey (Kosciw, 2004), there is a widespread existence of victimization against non-heterosexual students in U.S. high schools. 80% of the students surveyed experience some form of verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school (Kosciw, 2004). In nearly 75% of these harassment incidents, neither a teacher nor an administrator intervened, providing an unsafe environment for these students. Recent research (Kosciw, 2004; Evans, 2000; LeCompte, 2000; Schneider & Owens, 2000) suggests that creating safe schools for non-heterosexual students improves their academic performance, their relationships with faculty, and their general attitude toward school. Using Narrative Inquiry, I interview three non-heterosexual female high school students in order to give voice to their experiences of alienation, harassment, and struggle with sexual identity. Additionally, the students discuss their visions of safe schools and their roles in creating and maintaining safe and welcoming school environments. Within the matrix of queer theory and queer pedagogy, I examine the components of safe schools that currently exist in these students’ schools and relay what the students are doing to improve the level of tolerance and safety in their schools. I interview three other non-heterosexual females in order to contextualize the high school students’ experiences. One teacher, one youth support group volunteer, and one young woman currently out of school provide additional layers of perspective as I analyze the narratives and suggest modifications in curriculum materials, instructional practices and administrative policies that will construct safer school environments. Constructing Rainbow Classrooms: Non-heterosexual Students Journey Toward Safer Schools by Lucille E. Eaton A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In Educational Research, Leadership, and Policy Analysis Raleigh, NC 2005 Approved by: Dr. Anna V. Wilson, Co-Chair Dr. Bonnie Fusarelli, Co-Chair Dr. Paul Bitting Dr. Barbara Sparks DEDICATION I could not have completed this work without the love and support of my family and friends. My children, Matthew and Elizabeth, have been an unwavering presence of support in my life, encouraging me to actualize my potential and fulfill my dreams. Their loving support has guided me through numerous difficult moments. For many years, I have been in awe of my mother, Edith Eaton, whose strength, courage and determination has inspired me to continue this journey despite the multitude of hurdles that emerged in the path. I appreciate my siblings for their support, especially Cathy and Allyson, who believed in me when I had difficulty believing in myself. I may not have made it through the final months of writing if it were not for the delicious breads baked by my brother, Bob, and his wife, Pat. My cousin, Kathy, has been both a wonderful relative and a great friend – a beacon of light illuminating the darkest of nights. There are a number of friends who have contributed to the completion of this endeavor, and to all of them, I am truly grateful for their encouragement. I thank Robin for her endless faith in me, Beth for her loving patience, and Teresa for visualizing this moment long before I could. I thank Mary Robyn for the weekly cheerleading phone calls and BJ for her warmth and laughter. I appreciate my Whole Foods Market family for providing a haven for me when life became overwhelming, and I appreciate my soccer team for the healthy distractions from the stress of graduate school. I am thankful for my co-workers, especially Anna, Shayne and Suzanne, and their confidence in my ability to accomplish this goal. I also extend appreciation to my graduate school classmates, especially Annie, Julie and Kristin, whose camaraderie facilitated my growth as a person and a professional educator. I am grateful to my committee, Dr. Anna Wilson, Dr. Bonnie Fusarelli, Dr. Paul Bitting, and Dr. Barbara Sparks, for fostering my development as ii a scholar. I extend additional gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Anna Wilson, for seeing the realm of possibility dwelling within me that I could not see myself. I dedicate this dissertation to my loving family and wonderful friends. It truly takes a whole village to raise a doctor. iii BIOGRAPHY I was born on November 6, 1963, in Eastport, Long Island, New York, where I lived until I went to college in upstate New York. Eastport was located on the south shore of Long Island, just a few miles west of the Hamptons. I was the sixth of seven children born to my Russian-German-Irish family, and many hours were of my childhood were spent playing with siblings and friends in the school yard across the street from our house. My early years were shaped by a strict Roman Catholic upbringing and the long-held traditions of my large extended family. As I grew, teachers and school activities impacted the direction of my life, helping me to discover and hone my talents and abilities. In my sophomore year of high school, I became bored with school and informed my guidance counselor that I wished to quit school. He patiently listened to the whining of a fifteen-year-old, and then told me about a Rotary Club exchange student program that allowed students to study abroad during their junior year. I applied, was accepted, and lived for one year in Sydney, Australia, an experience that forever changed my life and the way I made meaning of the world around and within me. I returned to the United States to complete my senior year, and then went on to college to study Forestry. In my junior year, I transferred to Cornell University, where I unexpectedly got pregnant, another event that drastically altered the course of my life. I gave birth to twins, Matthew and Elizabeth, two blessings that have become the pillar of my existence. Shortly after their birth, we returned home to Long Island, where I earned a teaching scholarship, completed my undergraduate degree, and earned my teaching certification in science. iv After graduation, I accepted a teaching position in Raleigh, North Carolina, and migrated south with my children. After a year of teaching, I started working on a Masters in Science Education at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The responsibility of two elementary-age children, middle school teaching and graduate courses soon proved to be too overwhelming to juggle, thus I decided to postpone graduate school. Ten years later, in the fall of 2000, I returned to my goal of earning my graduate degree, but this time I applied to North Carolina State University for a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. On the first day that I met my advisor, Dr. Anna Wilson, she suggested that I pursue a doctorate in Curriculum Studies once I had completed my master’s degree. I followed my professor’s advice, and soon found myself focused on researching how females experience school, a general interest that I later narrowed down to non-heterosexual females and their school experiences. I discovered my passion was in educating youth, especially those who were marginalized for their ‘difference,’ whatever that might be. I desired to help these students realize their potential and utilize the opportunities education could provide for them. Now that I have earned my doctorate in Educational Research and Curriculum Studies, I intend to continue following my passion, developing curriculum materials and methods of instruction that foster safe and welcoming classroom environments. By bridging the resources of public schools, universities and community centers, I hope to catalyze positive changes that will maximize educational opportunities for all students. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: CONSULTING THE BLUEPRINTS........................................................... 1 THE DATA ARE LIMITED.............................................................................................................. 4 QUEERING OUR GAZE.................................................................................................................. 5 A QUEER READING OF THE WORLD ............................................................................................. 7 HIGH SCHOOL AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.................................................................................. 9 THEIR VOICES AND THEIR STORIES ........................................................................................... 11 IT STARTS WITH FEELING ‘DIFFERENT’...................................................................................... 13 PLANS ARE MOVING “GAY-LY” FORWARD ............................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2: ASSEMBLING THE FOUNDATION ...................................................... 17 SEXUAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................. 17 LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT ................................................................... 23 THE ACTIVISM OF QUEER THEORY ............................................................................................ 26 QUEER THEORY AND SCHOOL CURRICULUM ............................................................................