This week we have solely been focusing on identity
development, cultural influence and how family bias may have illustrated as the
correct way to be in childhood. We have
also spent time on discussing sexual orientation and how we feel about this
subject. We were asked choose topics to
discuss related to our resources this week and I chose to discuss my response
to a parent or family member who stated that they would not want a homosexual
or transgender to care for their child or interacting with their child. I really had to do some thinking on this
matter because it is my job to respect the wishes of parents and make them as
comfortable as possible in the environment, but it is also my job to not be
bias toward any other staff or colleagues that I partner with. In this situation, having a productive one on
one conversation to discuss reasons why he or she feels that way is my first
step. I would then discuss the goal of
the learning community and express that sexual orientation has nothing to do
with how well you teach, care for, and interact with children. I would respect everything that is discussed but
could not make promises as to who the child’s teacher would be. The ultimate goal for our children is to
provide a productive, progressive and healthy development for advancement in
education and life.
I have not witnessed terms such as “fag”, “lesbo”, “sissy”,
etc in my childhood years, but I heard them greatly in my high school
days. Where I am from and during that
time, homosexuality was rising to the charts in the schools and other peers
would definitely reveal biases toward these individuals. I had friends who were homosexuals and I did
not feel uncomfortable around them because I never publicly saw them do
anything disrespectful to others. They
just dressed different from others or walked different from others. I have even heard teachers in the classrooms
make comments such as these. These
comments can definitely make children think that homosexuals can be harmful and
it could make them curious to what it is being a “fag” “lesbo” “sissy”, etc. It
hurts their view on people in general and teaches them that it is fine using
that type of terminology.
