People are People!
Queering the curriculum and including all people in the walls of the classroom and school system is a topic of wild opinions. Opinions that take on such malicious thoughts and opinions. So when asked to answer this week’s prompt question it was a challenge. As the prompt for this week mentions the question of ‘how might we address the ways in which the systems that we teach our curriculum in are intrinsically homophobic, transphobic, biphobic’ and countless other things? Rather the better question to answer is why we are not already utilizing policies and strategies in the classroom to include and make all people feel comfortable in the school system?
As a soon to be educator I would rather answer this question in a reversed sort of manner. In other words I feel as if it is essential to point out all the gender inequalities and examples in the curriculum, school system and classroom that are currently present. Making known what issues exist will help all teachers, board members, students and parents reverse them and change it for the better for all students in the school and education system.
One of the issues on this lengthy list is ‘dress codes’ in the school system. Traditionally dress codes only tend to impact those who identify as the assumed female gender Meaning rules are often directed towards women such as in rules like no spaghetti straps, because they are distracting to the assumed male gender. Whereas there are few mention dress codes on the assumed male gender, meaning traditionally they are not told to change how they dress because it’s not seen as distracting to the female gender.
I want to mention this gendered problem because it not only draws attention to the issue, but it helps showcase the importance of change. Change is scary but is needed when it comes to how many people feel like they aren’t able to be who they need to be in the education system. In other words, changes need to be made when it comes to making the dress codes less gender discriminatory. Actions for change in the dress code are needed now.
Another issue lies in the problem Mothers and Father’s Day crafts commonly made in the younger grades classrooms. You may wonder where is the problem in this example? It’s present because not all children have a mother and a father in their life. They may not be close to their mom or live with their dad. Students may have lost both of their parents in an accident and live with their aunt and uncle. Sometimes children have a mom and another mom. They may even have a dad and another dad. Families are meant to be diverse. There is no set template on families, so why implement the set in stone policy by doing Fathers and Mothers day crafts in the classroom?
The next example amongst the many is the implementation of split gender grade nine physical education and health classes in the high school curriculum. Many people including teachers may not see the issue amongst this policy, are you one of them? As educators though we must see the glaring problem amongst this policy. The issue being some individuals do not identify as just male or female. They rather identify as a variety of different terms. Terms that are worth being recognized by all people and not shoved into a box. In order to take part in a core class in the highschool education system. All students should be able to participate in the same classes as everyone no matter what they self identify as?
As a student and a soon to be teacher my biggest issue with this week’s topic is that it ticks me off that we even have to have this discussion at all. As ‘queering the curriculum’ should not be something we have to discuss as teachers because people are people! It should not matter who people love, identify as, feel connected to and what they believe in! People are People!
I am a teacher because I want to provide a safe, comfortable, inviting and inclusive space for all the students that I work with. There is no question of inclusion when it comes to my teaching pedagogies, so the fact that many need to adapt and change their gender ideologies is immensely concerning and embarrassing. I Emmalea Harden will be a teacher who makes all people feel understood, respected and loved for who they are as people inside my classroom and out!