- Playing
- Fighting Homophobia in the Classroom
- From
- Anny Celsi
The death of Laurence King – killed by a junior high classmate in Oxnard, California in 2008 – highlights a big problem: If you're a teacher, how should you deal with homophobia in the classroom? One group is using theater to teach teachers how to counteract sexual bias in Southern California classrooms.
The program is put on by Encompass, a non-profit group that focuses on diversity issues in California schools. The actors are students from the LA County High School for the arts.According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, by the time they get to high school, ninety percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered students have experienced physical, verbal or sexual harassment at school. Those students are more likely to skip school out of fear, don’t do as well academically as their straight peers, and are less likely to graduate.
In the training, educators watch a scene where homophobic behavior disrupts a classroom and creates stress. The observers are given insight into the students' inner lives and how they're affected by sexual bias. They're then asked to come up with techniques the teacher might use to make the classroom safer and more inclusive. The scene is repeated, with the actors using improv to act out the new strategies. With the teacher in control, things play out differently this time - the bullies dial back their behavior, the name-calling and hate-speech is squelched, and the students are free to focus on their lesson.Student actor Drew Cameron says, “hopefully teachers are watching this and thinking, here’s some students that are putting on a scene for us. Here are some students who are showing us how to be better teachers. “
… better teachers in a school where every student feels safe to focus on the job of learning.
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Piece Description
The death of Laurence King – killed by a junior high classmate in Oxnard, California in 2008 – highlights a big problem: If you're a teacher, how should you deal with homophobia in the classroom? One group is using theater to teach teachers how to counteract sexual bias in Southern California classrooms.
The program is put on by Encompass, a non-profit group that focuses on diversity issues in California schools. The actors are students from the LA County High School for the arts.According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, by the time they get to high school, ninety percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered students have experienced physical, verbal or sexual harassment at school. Those students are more likely to skip school out of fear, don’t do as well academically as their straight peers, and are less likely to graduate.
In the training, educators watch a scene where homophobic behavior disrupts a classroom and creates stress. The observers are given insight into the students' inner lives and how they're affected by sexual bias. They're then asked to come up with techniques the teacher might use to make the classroom safer and more inclusive. The scene is repeated, with the actors using improv to act out the new strategies. With the teacher in control, things play out differently this time - the bullies dial back their behavior, the name-calling and hate-speech is squelched, and the students are free to focus on their lesson.Student actor Drew Cameron says, “hopefully teachers are watching this and thinking, here’s some students that are putting on a scene for us. Here are some students who are showing us how to be better teachers. “
… better teachers in a school where every student feels safe to focus on the job of learning.
Broadcast History
KPCC 89.3 (NPR Los Angeles): Offramp, 2/4/2012; KQED (NPR San Francisco): California Report, 4/20/2012; Voice of America: 4/25/12; Deutsche Welle: World Link; 3/2012
Transcript
Fighting Homophobia - Long Version
FIGHTING HOMOPHOBIA IN THE CLASSROOM
ANNY CELSI
SCRIPT:
The teacher training program starts with a staged scene. . Students walk into their high school English class talking about a kid who got beat up the day before. .
BRUCE
If Travis wanted gay rights, he got 'em. Rights, lefts, uppercuts, a kick to
the face! Bam!
ALLY
(to Bruce)
It's not funny, Bruce. He could have been killed!
SHAWNA
Travis Owens isn't even gay.
BRUCE
Dude is definitely gay, he hit on me.
The discussion heats up, and the students start baiting each other.
BRUCE
He probably enjoyed it, gettin' hit on by three guys. Right Alex?
ALEX
You guys are so homophobic it's pathetic.
BRUCE
Yea, like we're really afraid of you.
MR. MCGREGOR
Uhhh, guys please, stop playing around.
That’s the teacher, Mr McGregor. Before long, his class is out of control.
BRUCE (to Alex)
W...
Read the full transcript
Fighting Homophobia - Short Version
FIGHTING HOMOPHOBIA IN THE CLASSROOM
ANNY CELSI
The teacher training program starts with a staged scene. . Students walk into their high school English class talking about a kid who got beat up the day before.
BRUCE
If Travis wanted gay rights, he got 'em. Rights, lefts, uppercuts, a kick to
the face! Bam!
ALLY
(to Bruce)
It's not funny, Bruce. He could have been killed!
SHAWNA
Travis Owens isn't even gay.
BRUCE
Dude is definitely gay, he hit on me.
The discussion heats up, and the students start baiting each other.
BRUCE
He probably enjoyed it, gettin' hit on by three guys. Right Alex?
ALEX
You guys are so homophobic it's pathetic.
BRUCE
Yea, like we're really afraid of you.
MR. MCGREGOR
Uhhh, guys please, stop playing around.
That’s the teacher, Mr McGregor. Before long, his class is out of control.
BRUCE (to Alex)
Why don't you go sit with...
Read the full transcript
Intro and Outro
INTRO:The death of Laurence King – killed by a junior high classmate in Oxnard, California in 2008 – highlights a big problem: If you‘re a teacher, how should you deal with homophobia in the classroom?. In Los Angeles, one non-profit group is using live theater to teach teachers how to counteract sexual bias in their classrooms. Anny Celsi (CHEL-see) reports:
OUTRO:
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Karen Fritsche
Posted on February 18, 2012 at 01:46 PM | Permalink
Important and very well done piece!
This is such a timely and important piece. When we covered the Laurence King story on the LIVE show I produce at KPCC, we screened a lot of calls from teachers really struggling with these issues. I hope those teachers and their students have a chance to hear this piece. The kids' performances are remarkable and the interviews are extremely powerful. I hope it gets lots of play here and nationally. Very well done.