Because of the importance of teachers and school staff in protecting queer students’ rights at school, school staff (including teachers, principals, office staff, administrators) should be given mandatory training on the rights we have discussed in this Guide. This should include training on:
- Equality and freedom from discrimination
- Creating an inclusive environment and curriculum
- Addressing homophobia, transphobia, bullying, and harassment
- Respecting names and pronouns
- GSAs and queer-positive student clubs
- Washrooms, change rooms, and gendered spaces
- Student privacy
- Supporting queer youth.
Some school boards have policies suggesting that teachers and staff should be trained in these areas. For example, the Vancouver School Board’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity policy says that the Board will try to ensure that professional development and training is provided for school staff to develop “awareness, knowledge, skills, and attitudes” necessary for delivering a queer-inclusive curriculum, identifying and addressing homophobic and transphobic discrimination, and supporting and advocating for queer students.
