ERIC ED608535: The 2019 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation's Schools. Executive Summary

2020·2.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

The 2019 National
School Climate Survey
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools
THE 2019 NATIONAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
ABOUT THE SURVEY
In 1999, GLSEN identified that little was known about the school experiences
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth and that
LGBTQ youth were nearly absent from national studies of adolescents. We
responded to this national need for data by launching the first National
School Climate Survey, and we continue to meet this need for current data by
conducting the study every two years. Since then, the biennial National
School Climate Survey has documented the unique challenges LGBTQ
students face and identified interventions that can improve school climate.
The study documents the prevalence of indicators of a hostile school climate
for LGBTQ students, and explores the effects that a hostile school climate
may have on LGBTQ students’ educational outcomes and well-being. The
study also examines the availability and the utility of LGBTQ-related school
resources and supports that may offset the negative effects of a hostile school
climate and promote a positive learning experience. In addition to collecting
this critical data every two years, we also add and adapt survey questions to
respond to the changing world for LGBTQ youth. For example, in the 2019
survey we included questions about the activities of LGBTQ-supportive
student clubs. The National School Climate Survey remains one of the few
studies to examine the school experiences of LGBTQ students nationally, and
its results have been vital to GLSEN’s understanding of the issues that LGBTQ
students face, thereby informing our ongoing work to ensure safe and
affirming schools for all.
Quotes throughout are from students’ responses
to open-ended questions in the survey.
Visit glsen.org/nscs for the full 2019 National School Climate Survey.
2
In our 2019 report, we examine We also demonstrate the degree to
the experiences of LGBTQ students which LGBTQ students have access
with regard to indicators of negative to supportive resources in school, and
school climate: we explore the possible benefits of
these resources:
• Hearing biased remarks, including
homophobic remarks, in school; • GSAs (Gay-Straight Alliances or Gender
• Feeling unsafe in school because of and Sexuality Alliances) or similar
personal characteristics, such as clubs;
sexual orientation, gender expression, • Supportive and inclusive school
or race/ethnicity; policies, such as anti-bullying/
• Missing classes or days of school harassment policies and transgender
because of safety reasons; and nonbinary student policies;
• Experiencing harassment and assault • Supportive school staff; and
in school; and • Curricular resources that are inclusive
• Experiencing discriminatory policies of LGBTQ-related topics.
and practices at school.
Given that GLSEN has been conducting
In addition we examine whether students the survey for two decades, we also
report these experiences to school examine changes over time on indicators
officials or their families, and how these of negative school climate and levels of
adults addressed the problem. Further, access to LGBTQ-related resources
we examine the impact of a hostile in schools.
school climate on LGBTQ students’
academic achievement, educational
aspirations, and psychological well-being.
We also examine how the school
experiences of LGBTQ students vary by
personal and community characteristics.
METHODS
The 2019 National School Climate Survey was conducted online from April through
August 2019. To obtain a representative national sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, we conducted outreach through national,
regional, and local organizations that provide services to or advocate on behalf of
LGBTQ youth, and advertised and promoted on social media sites, such as
Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. To ensure representation of transgender youth,
youth of color, and youth in rural communities, we made special efforts to notify
groups and organizations that work predominantly with these populations.
The final sample consisted of a total of 16,713 students between the ages of 13
and 21. Students were from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,
American Samoa, and Guam. Just over two-thirds of the sample (69.2%) was White,
two-fifths (41.6%) was cisgender female, and 40.4% identified as gay or lesbian.
The average age of students in the sample was 15.5 years and they were in grades 6
to 12, with the largest numbers in grades 9, 10 and 11.
THE 2019 NATIONAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
HOSTILE SCHOOL CLIMATE
Schools nationwide are hostile environments for a distressing number of LGBTQ
students, the overwhelming majority of whom routinely hear anti-LGBTQ language
and experience victimization and discrimination at school. As a result, many
LGBTQ students avoid school activities or miss school entirely.
SCHOOL SAFETY ANTI-LGBTQ REMARKS
AT SCHOOL
• 59.1% of LGBTQ students felt unsafe
at school because of their sexual • Almost all LGBTQ students (98.8%)
orientation, 42.5% because of their heard “gay” used in a negative way
gender expression, and 37.4% (e.g., “that’s so gay”) at school; 75.6%
because of their gender. heard these remarks frequently or
• 32.7% of LGBTQ students missed at often, and 91.8% reported that they felt
least one entire day of school in the distressed because of this language.
past month because they felt unsafe or (continued on next page)
uncomfortable, 8.6% missed four or
more days in the past month.
Frequency of Missing Days of School
• Many avoided gender-segregated
spaces in school because they felt in the Past Month Because of Feeling
unsafe or uncomfortable: 45.2% Unsafe or Uncomfortable
avoided bathrooms and 43.7% avoided
locker rooms.
1 Day
• Most reported avoiding school 10.6%
0 Days
functions (77.6%) and extracurricular
67.3%
activities (71.8%) because they felt 2 or 3 Days
unsafe or uncomfortable. 13.5%
• Nearly a fifth of LGBTQ students
(17.1%) reported having ever changed 4 or 5 Days
3.6%
schools due to feeling unsafe or
uncomfortable at school. 6 or More Days
5.0%
4
ANTI-LGBTQ REMARKS HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT
AT SCHOOL (cont.) AT SCHOOL
• 96.9% of LGBTQ students heard the The vast majority of LGBTQ students
phrase “no homo” at school, and (86.3%) experienced harassment or
60.9% heard this phrase frequently or assault based on personal
often. characteristics, including sexual
orientation, gender expression, gender,
• 95.2% of LGBTQ students heard other
actual or perceived religion, actual or
types of homophobic remarks (e.g.,
perceived race and ethnicity, and actual
“dyke” or “faggot”); 54.4% heard this
or perceived disability.
type of language frequently or often.
• 68.7% of LGBTQ students experienced
• 91.8% of LGBTQ students heard
verbal harassment (e.g., called names
negative remarks about gender
or threatened) at school based on
expression (not acting “masculine
sexual orientation, 56.9% based on
enough” or “feminine enough”);
gender expression, and 53.7% based
53.2% heard these remarks frequently
on gender.
or often.
• 25.7% of LGBTQ students were
• 87.4% of LGBTQ students heard
physically harassed (e.g., pushed or
negative remarks specifically about
shoved) in the past year based on
transgender people, like “tranny” or
sexual orientation, 21.8% based on
“he/she;” 43.7% heard them
gender expression, and 22.2% based
frequently or often.
on gender.
• 52.4% of students reported hearing
• 11.0% of LGBTQ students were
homophobic remarks from their
physically assaulted (e.g., punched,
teachers or other school staff, and
kicked, injured with a weapon) in the
66.7% of students reported hearing
past year based on sexual orientation,
negative remarks about gender
9.5% based on gender expression, and
expression from teachers or other
9.3% based on gender.
school staff.
• A sizable number of LGBTQ students
• Less than one-fifth of LGBTQ students
were also bullied or harassed at school
(13.7%) reported that school staff
based on other characteristics – 36.5%
intervened most of the time or always
based on actual or perceived disability,
when overhearing homophobic
23.1% based on actual or perceived
remarks at school, and less than
religion, and 21.4% based on actual or
one-tenth of LGBTQ students (9.0%)
perceived race or ethnicity.
reported that school staff intervened
most of the time or always when • 44.9% of LGBTQ students experienced
overhearing negative remarks about electronic harassment in the past year
gender expression. (via text messages or postings on social
media), often known as cyberbullying.
• 58.3% of LGBTQ students were
sexually harassed (e.g., unwanted
touching or sexual remarks) in the past
year at school.
THE 2019 NATIONAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5
STUDENT REPORTING OF • Prevented from using locker rooms
aligned with their gender identity:
HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT
27.2%.
INCIDENTS
• Prevented from using chosen names/
• 56.6% of LGBTQ students who were pronouns: 22.8%.
harassed or assaulted in school did not
• Prevented from wearing clothes
report the incident to school staff, most
considered “inappropriate” based on
commonly because they doubted that
gender: 18.3%.
effective intervention would occur or
• Prohibited from discussing or writing
the situation could become worse if
about LGBTQ topics in school
reported.
assignments: 16.6%.
• 60.5% of the students who did report
• Prohibited from including LGBTQ
an incident said that school staff did
topics in school extracurricular
nothing in response or told the student
activities: 16.3%.
to ignore it.
• Restricted from forming or promoting a
GSA: 14.7%.
DISCRIMINATORY SCHOOL
• Prevented from wearing clothing or
POLICIES AND PRACTICES
items supporting LGBTQ issues:
Most LGBTQ students (59.1%) reported 10.7%.
personally experiencing any LGBTQ-
• Prevented or discouraged from
related discriminatory policies or
participating in school sports because
practices at school. Specifically, LGBTQ
they were LGBTQ: 10.2%.
students reported being:
• Prevented from attending a dance or
• Prevented from using bathrooms aligned
function with someone of the same
with their gender identity: 28.4%.
gender: 7.6%.
• Disciplined for public displays of
• Disciplined for simply identifying as
affection that were not similarly
LGBTQ: 3.0%.
disciplined among non-LGBTQ
students: 28.0%.
I got rocks thrown at me and was beaten by kids at
my school. I never told anyone about this. Not a
parent, school staff member, nor peer.
6
EFFECTS OF A HOSTILE SCHOOL CLIMATE
A hostile school climate affects students’ academic success and mental health.
LGBTQ students who experience victimization and discrimination at school have
worse educational outcomes and poorer psychological well-being.
EFFECTS OF VICTIMIZATION • LGBTQ students who experienced
higher levels of victimization based on
• LGBTQ students who experienced
their gender expression:
higher levels of victimization based on
° Were almost three times as likely to
their sexual orientation:
have missed school in the past
° Were nearly three times as likely to month than those who experienced
have missed school in the past
lower levels (59.0% vs. 21.8%);
month than those who experienced
° Had lower GPAs than students who
lower levels (57.2% vs. 21.7%);
were less often harassed (2.98 vs.
° Had lower grade point averages 3.36);
(GPAs) than students who were less
° Were twice as likely to report that
often harassed (3.03 vs. 3.34);
they did not plan to pursue any
° Were nearly twice as likely to report post-secondary education (e.g.,
that they did not plan to pursue any
college or trade school; 11.1% vs.
post-secondary education (e.g.,
5.4%);
college or trade school) than those
° Were more likely to have been
who experienced lower levels (9.9%
disciplined at school (46.8% vs.
vs. 5.8%);
27.2%); and
° Were nearly twice as likely to have ° Had lower self-esteem and
been disciplined at school (47.0%
school belonging and higher levels
vs. 26.7%); and
of depression.
° Had lower self-esteem and
• Of the LGBTQ students who indicated
school belonging and higher levels
that they were considering dropping
of depression.
out of school, a sizable percentage
(42.2%) indicated that it was related to
the harassment they faced at school.
School Belonging by Experiences of Victimization and Discrimination
(Percentage of LGBTQ Students Demonstrating Positive School Belonging)
80% 72.7%
62.7% 62.3%
60%
37.9%
40%
28.7% 27.7%
20%
0%
Lower Higher Lower Higher Had Not Had
Victimization Victimization Victimization Victimization Experienced Experienced
Victimization Re: Sexual Orientation Victimization Re: Gender Expression Experiences of Discrimination
THE 2019 NATIONAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
I sincerely hope that queer kids in future generations do
not have to go through what I have been through and will
most likely continue to suffer through.
EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION • Of the LGBTQ students who
indicated that they were considering
• Compared to LGBTQ students who did
dropping out of school, a sizable
not experience LGBTQ-related
percentage (30.1%) indicated that it
discrimination at school, those who
was related to the hostile climate
experienced discrimination:
created by gendered school policies
° Were nearly three times as likely to and practices.
have missed school in the past
month (44.1% vs. 16.4%);
° Had lower GPAs (3.14 vs. 3.39);
° Were more likely to have been
disciplined at school (40.2% vs.
22.6%); and
° Had lower self-esteem and school
belonging and higher levels of
depression.
8
LGBTQ-RELATED SCHOOL RESOURCES
AND SUPPORTS
Students who feel safe and supported at school have better educational outcomes.
LGBTQ students who have LGBTQ-related school resources report better school
experiences and academic success. Unfortunately, all too many schools fail to
provide these critical resources.
GSAs (GAY-STRAIGHT ° Were less likely to hear negative
remarks about gender expression
ALLIANCES/GENDER AND
often or frequently (49.3% vs. 59.5%);
SEXUALITY ALLIANCES)
° Were less likely to hear negative
remarks about transgender people
Availability and Participation
often or frequently (39.9% vs.
• Most LGBTQ students (61.6%) said 50.0%);
that their school had a GSA or similar ° Were more likely to report that school
student club. personnel intervened when hearing
• Most LGBTQ students with a GSA at homophobic remarks — 16.4% vs.
school reported participating in the 9.4% reporting that staff intervened
club at some level, but more than a most of the time or always;
third (38.2%) had not. ° Were less likely to feel unsafe
regarding their sexual orientation
(53.6% vs. 67.4%) and gender
Utility expression (40.2% vs. 46.0%);
• Compared to LGBTQ students who did ° Were less likely to miss school
not have a GSA in their school, students because of safety concerns (28.4%
who had a GSA in their school: vs. 39.6%);
° Were less likely to hear “gay” used in ° Experienced lower levels of
a negative way often or frequently victimization related to their sexual
(70.5% to 83.5%); orientation and gender expression;
° Were less likely to hear the phrase ° Reported a greater number of
“no homo” often or frequently supportive school staff and more
(57.4% vs. 66.4%); accepting peers; and
° Were less likely to hear homophobic ° Felt greater belonging to their
remarks such as “fag” or “dyke” often school community.
or frequently (49.4% vs. 62.5%);
Presence of GSAs and LGBTQ Students’ Feelings of Safety and Missing School
80% School Does Not Have a GSA
67.3%
School Has a GSA
60%
48.2%
51.7%
37.7%
40% 41.3%
28.7%
20%
0%
Felt Unsafe Because Felt Unsafe Because Missed at Least One Day
of Sexual Orientation of Gender Expression of School in the Past Month
THE 2019 NATIONAL SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9
INCLUSIVE CURRICULAR ° Were less likely to miss school in the
past month because they felt unsafe
RESOURCES
or uncomfortable (23.2% vs.
35.0%);
Availability
° Performed better academically in
• Only 19.4% of LGBTQ students were
school (3.32 vs. 3.23 average GPA)
taught positive representations of
and were more likely to plan on
LGBTQ people, history, or events in
pursuing post-secondary education;
their schools; 17.0% had been taught
° Were more likely to report that their
negative content about LGBTQ topics.
classmates were somewhat or very
• Only 8.2% of students reported
accepting of LGBTQ people (66.9%
receiving LGBTQ-inclusive sex
vs. 37.9%); and
education.
° Felt greater belonging to their
• Just under half of students (48.9%) school community.
reported that they could find
information about LGBTQ-related SUPPORTIVE EDUCATORS
issues in their school library.
• Just over half of students with Availability
internet access at school (55.9%) • Almost all LGBTQ students (97.7%)
reported being able to access could identify at least one staff
LGBTQ-related information online member supportive of LGBTQ students
via school computers. at their school.
• Approximately two-thirds of students
Utility
(66.3%) could identify at least six
• Compared to students in school
supportive school staff.
without an LGBTQ-inclusive
• Only 42.3% of students could identify
curriculum, LGBTQ students in schools
11 or more supportive staff.
with an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum:
• Just over two-fifths of students (42.4%)
° Were less likely to hear “gay” used in
reported that their school
a negative way often or frequently
administration was somewhat or very
(59.2% vs. 79.8%);
supportive of LGBTQ students.
° Were less likely to hear homophobic
remarks such as “fag” or “dyke” • Over half of students (62.8%) had
often or frequently (38.6% vs. seen at least one Safe Space sticker or
58.3%); poster at their school (these stickers or
° Were less likely to hear negative posters often serve to identify
remarks about gender expression supportive educators).
often or frequently (30.1% vs. (continued on next page)
47.2%);
° Were less likely to hear negative
remarks about transgender people
often or frequently (41.8% vs.
56.0%);
° Were less likely to feel unsafe
because of their sexual orientation
(44.4% vs. 62.7%) and gender
expression (33.5% vs. 44.7%);
° Experienced lower levels of
victimization related to their sexual
orientation and gender expression;