Creating Safe, Inclusive School Environments for All Students

School counselors are social justice advocates who challenge the status quo to provide equity and access for all students. We have a legal and ethical responsibility to advocate for the needs of all our students. We serve as agents for social and political change. Social justice advocacy is necessary to right injustices, increase access and improve educational outcomes for all students. School counselors play an essential leadership role in advocating for safe and inclusive school environments for queer, gender non-conforming and transgender students in our elementary, middle and high schools.
 
The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Position states:
 
School counselors recognize all students have the right to be treated equally and fairly with dignity and respect as unique individuals, free from discrimination, harassment and bullying based on their gender identity and gender expression. School counselors work to safeguard the well-being of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth. (2016)
 
School counselors promote affirmation, respect and equal opportunity for all individuals regardless of gender identity or gender expression. School counselors encourage a safe and affirming school environment and promote awareness of and education on issues related to transgender and gender-nonconforming students. (2016)
 
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed the very real health risks nonbinary and transgender youth face in school. The CDC data showed that nearly two percent of U.S. high school students identify as transgender. The experience of transgender students in schools is alarming: 27 percent of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth feel unsafe at school and traveling to and from school; 35 percent are bullied; and 35 percent have attempted suicide in the past 12 months. The report revealed that transgender and gender non-conforming youth are at higher risk of attempting suicide than their peers.
 
In one of the largest studies of transgender youth, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that when transgender youth are allowed to use their chosen name and pronouns at school, home, work and with their friends, their risk of depression and suicide drops. The study recently published in the Journal of Adolescent Health revealed that young people who used their name chosen experienced

• 71 percent fewer symptoms of severe depression
• a 34 percent decrease in reported thoughts of suicide
• a 65 percent decrease in suicidal attempts

Federal and state laws protect the rights of nonbinary students and support safe, inclusive, and affirming school environments. The rights of gender expansive youth are protected by federal law. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects students’ freedom of speech and freedom of expression. That includes the right to dress according to your gender identity, talk about being transgender openly and express your gender in other ways.
 
The rights of gender expansive youth are protected under Oregon law, “[a] person may not be subjected to discrimination in any public elementary, secondary or community college education program or service, school or interschool activity or in any higher education program or service, school or interschool activity where the program, service, school or activity is financed in whole or in part by moneys appropriated by the Legislative Assembly.”
 
The ethical standards followed by school counselors also address the rights of nonbinary students. The ASCA Ethical Standards include:
 
A.1. Supporting Student Development
F. Respect students’ and families’ values, beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identification/expression and cultural background and exercise great care to avoid imposing personal beliefs or values rooted in one’s religion, culture or ethnicity.
 
A.10. Underserved and At-Risk Populations
e. Understand students have the right to be treated in a manner consistent with their gender identity and to be free from any form of discipline, harassment or discrimination based on their gender identity or gender expression.     
 
k. Work toward a school climate that embraces diversity and promotes academic, career and social/emotional development for all students.
 
B.3. Responsibilities to Self
i. Monitor and expand personal multicultural and social-justice advocacy awareness, knowledge and skills to be an effective culturally competent school counselor. Understand how prejudice, privilege and various forms of oppression based on ethnicity, racial identity, age, economic status, abilities/disabilities, language, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity expression, family type, religious/spiritual identity, appearance and living situations (e.g., foster care, homelessness, incarceration) affect students and stakeholders.
 
J. Refrain from refusing services to students based solely on the school counselor’s personally held beliefs or values rooted in one’s religion, culture or ethnicity. School counselors respect the diversity of students and seek training and supervision when prejudice or biases interfere with providing comprehensive services to all students.
 
Oregon’s Health Education Standards were updated to include standards related to gender identity and expression. The Oregon Health Education Standards are designed to promote healthy, safe, violence-free communities for all people. The standards are aligned with best-practice and policy (including OAR Rule 581-0221440, SB 856, and HB 4077) to address and end violence in our schools and communities.
 
Oregon Standards related to gender identity and expression:

• Describe and practice ways to communicate respectfully with about people of all gender identities, gender expression, and sexual orientations.
• Describe differences and similarities of how individuals identify regarding gender or sexual orientation.
• Describe the importance of treating others with respect including their gender expression and sexual orientation.

 As school counselors, we have a legal and ethical responsibility to advocate for the social and emotional needs of our transgender and gender expansive students. We need to advocate for our schools and districts to become gender equitable. We need to promote curriculum to teach the health and wellness standards regarding gender identity and sexual orientation. We need to advocate for policies and procedures to support nonbinary and transgender students in our schools. This is our work as advocates for social justice.
 
Contact Laura Barbour, OSCA president, at oscapresident@oscainc.org.
 
Resources

ASCA Position Statement: The School Counselor and Transgender/Gender-nonconforming Youth (Adopted 2016)

Gender-Expansive Youth Report
 
GLSEN: Supporting Safe and Healthy Schools for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Students: A National Survey of School Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists
 
Human Rights Campaign: Welcoming Schools

Oregon Department of Education: Guidance to School Districts: Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment for Transgender Students

Oregon Health and Wellness Standards
 
Oregon Statewide Resource List for LGBTQ2SIA+ Youth