Too Scared to Teach: Secondary Students’ Insights into Educators Silencing and Stigmatization of Gender and Sexual Diversity in Public Schools in Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Despite a growing awareness of the disparities experienced by gender and sexual minority students related to academic attainment and well-being, some teachers continue to avoid discussing gender and sexual diversity. Through the use of narrative inquiry, this study captured the experiences of six secondary students pertaining to the general absence of discussions of gender and sexual diversity and the misinformed way this controversial topic was being handled at school. These students attributed their teachers’ silence to fear, being uneducated, and apathy. Through encountering the student narratives, implications for teachers aspiring to create inclusive learning spaces for this population are shared.