Many parents demand the right to instruct their children at home regarding sexual issues, while educators want the right to be honest and forthright with their students. Homosexuality is a highly emotional issue, and people are divided as to whether discussions about it have a place in the classroom. Examines several court battles. (MLF)

Homophobia is accepted and encouraged by society, particularly in the sterile world of academia which allows, promotes, and creates homophobia by not providing lesbian/gay specific texts, examples, assignments, and role models. Composition teachers can make the classroom a safer place for lesbian/gay students, teachers, texts, and issues by: (1)…

Proposes a method for teaching about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by using poetry written about the disease. Identifies specific anthologies as resources and reviews the literature. Says poetry addresses AIDS-inspired fears and helps reshape negative attitudes and homophobia. Suggests that it also enhances prevention-oriented public…

This book presents articles from 25 concerned teachers and professors explaining why and how they integrate inquiry into troubling social issues with the study of language and literature and make it the subject of discussion and writing-to-learn activities. The titles and authors of the 19 contributions to the book are: (1) "Educating for the…

Summarizes and outlines the controversy surrounding some of the content of Voyager Co.'s "Who Built America?", history CD-ROM package. Although highly praised, the program received criticism for its limited references to homosexuality, birth control, and abortion. Voyager Co. refused to drop the product after a computer-linked campaign…

This reader provides teachers with background material on a range of sex-related subjects likely to surface in any classroom at every level, but particulary in middle or high school science classrooms. The first section presents statements of the National Science Teachers Association supporting the right and responsibility of teachers to provide…

Maintains that effective Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) education cannot be separated from homophobia, and offers guidelines for dealing with homophobia in the classroom. Points out that AIDS misinformation often results from homophobic attitudes. Provides questions that educators can ask themselves to challenge their own attitudes,…

Describes the development and execution of a course entitled, "The Psychology of Sexual Orientation," the purpose of which is to examine the experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals in a thoughtful, scholarly, and informative manner. Course content addresses a broad range of issues including sexual norms, heterosexism,…

It is proposed that in an effort to promote awareness, positive self-concept, and healthy attitudes, and to reduce stereotyping, sexual identity issues should be incorporated into English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching. Open discussion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual issues may help to reduce the isolation of lesbians and gays,…

Describes a class exercise designed to confront homophobic attitudes. Students wear pink triangles to identify with gay/lesbian prejudice and peer pressures. Explores social conflict, prejudice, and oppression using conflict management techniques. Includes excerpts from students writing assignments and finds fear of being stigmatized pervades…