‘Out’ gay and lesbian faculty and the inclusion of sexual orientation topics in teacher preparation programmes in the USA

Abstract

Do ‘out’ lesbian and gay faculty influence the inclusion of sexual orientation as a form of diversity in their teacher preparation programmes? Data gathered from 142 teacher preparation programmes across the USA (representing the preparation of 23,000–30,000 new teachers annually) suggest they do not. Likewise, the priority placed upon sexual orientation topics within programmes was unrelated to the presence of out gay and lesbians among programme faculty. The presence of out gay and lesbian faculty was also unrelated to programme coordinators’ beliefs that faculty ignorance, resistance or discomfort regarding sexual orientation topics were challenges to inclusion. Finally, the presence of out gay and lesbian faculty was unrelated to programme coordinators’ perceptions of sexual orientation as a factor associated with student risk. Directions for further research are discussed.

Keywords:

• teacher preparation
• sexual orientation
• university faculty

Notes

1. The author recognises that limiting some of the instrument’s questions to gay and lesbian topics is problematic given the full range of sexual diversity, including those who identify as bisexual, transgender, asexual, or queer. However, in the interest of clarity, this study focused only upon gay and lesbian identities. Future research would do well to replicate the goals of this project so that all sexual identities are afforded the focused attention they deserve.

2. All percentages exclude missing cases.