Q: Why do you include LGBTQ people, gender identity, and sexual orientation in the scope of your mission and activities? Isn’t that teaching young kids about sex?
A: We believe, like you may, that teaching children about sex is something that is at the discretion of the parents at this young age. Sexuality and gender expression, however, are not about sexual activity, but are about identity, attraction, and family composition. Children of all ages see and hear messages about gender expression (“boys like trucks”, “only girls wear pink”) and sexuality (“girls have crushes on boys only”, “a real family has a mom and a dad”) everywhere and all the time.
Studies have shown that LGBTQ kids often find school a hostile environment where they must defend or deny their identity. Kids from LGBTQ families regularly hear anti-LGBTQ remarks and jokes and even experience victimization and discrimination. School which support an inclusive learning environment are known to reduce the victimization and ostracism of such students.
Q: Why are you teaching the children about holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Rosh Hashanah? Isn’t that bringing religion into the schools?
A: We greatly appreciate and respect your concerns about how religions are addressed in schools.
One of the tasks we have set for ourselves is to create and share a set of lesson plans to help bring better understanding on a range of observances throughout the year. The calendar was determined as a committee by reviewing the full list of holidays and observances put forth by the ADL (here is a link to that calendar: https://www.adl.org/media/10043/download) and selecting some key observances which fall throughout the school year, represent our community, and are currently given minimal to no mention.
For each observance, whether it stems primarily from a cultural or religious background, the purpose of the lesson plan is to give the students a short background on what the observance is: what is it called, when is it recognized, who recognizes and celebrates it, why is it important to some people, and what are the traditions people follow in order to recognize it (who gathers, what foods are eaten, what music is listened to, what decorations are hung, etc). These lesson plans can include a read aloud picture book and various craft options.
IDEA is meant to support the mission and purpose of the schools, which is to educate the kids and broaden their understanding and sensitivity to the world around them. Many observances throughout the year stem from a religion, but the focus of each IDEA lesson is always on the traditions and observances and never about the spiritual beliefs or religious underpinnings. You may see parallels to your children learning the Dreidel song each winter or painting colorful eggs each spring; IDEA is looking to expand those experiences to lesser recognized observances that are important to members of the community, so that now kids may make a moon and star mobile at Eid al Fitr or a diya lantern at Diwali. We have been amazed at how delighted the kids have been to learn about their friends’ traditions, and for the kids whose traditions are finally being talked about in school, their pride is palpable.
Q: Why aren’t Christmas, Easter and other Christian holidays included in IDEA’s lessons?
A: We welcome and include children and families of all faiths, and we are not preventing the secular celebration of Christmas or other holidays in class. However, it is IDEA’s mission to add to and enrich our students’ learning by providing perspectives outside of their typical lived experience. We want to elevate stories which differ from the dominant narrative, to bring more recognition and embrace of a variety of cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, family compositions, gender expressions, abilities, and socioeconomic statuses which have been and may continue to be marginalized. This is where the equity part of our name comes into play. Where “equality” means, essentially, that everyone gets the same thing regardless of what they have, “equity” is about everyone getting what they need. Equity is about serving people who have been historically disenfranchised, underserved, or excluded.
Because we are focusing on observances which fall throughout the school year and are currently given minimal to no mention, we are treating our calendar as a supplement to what already exists. In the United States and in our community, our calendars, sanctioned holidays, decorations and seasonal messages already prominently feature Christianity. As High Plain continues its journey to be a culturally responsive school, it is the role of IDEA to help draw attention to gaps and to bring about greater equity across all the dimensions of HPE’s diversity. You may see parallels in IDEA’s efforts to broaden our library collection to include a wider and more representative array of books featuring characters that span race, ethnicity, religion, family make up, gender, range of abilities, and socioeconomic diversity. Our efforts in both projects serve to supplement and enhance what is already in existence, to expand beyond traditional collections and calendars.
Q: Why isn’t Chinese New Year on the list of holidays IDEA is focusing on?
A: Chinese New Year is on IDEA’s calendar, but it is on the calendar by its more inclusive name – Lunar New Year. Whereas the term “Chinese New Year” may be more familiar, it refers to the holiday and observances for and about people from China. However, many other countries and cultures celebrate Lunar New Year, including people from Vietnam, Taiwan, and Korea and Buddhists all over the world.