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California's new educator training aims to boost LGBTQ+ student safety
A demonstrator holds a sign outside a Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) Board of Education meeting on June 20, 2023 in Glendale.
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David McNew
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While California’s education standards encourage inclusivity in the classroom, not all educators have the skills to do that. That’s why a new state law, passed last year, is requiring LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for publicly certified educators working with seventh to 12th grade students.
How will the training work?
Each year, educators will be expected to complete a minimum of 60 minutes of the multi-part program, which fulfills the requirements under AB 5.
The online training — dubbed Providing Relevant, Inclusive Support that Matters for LGBTQ students (PRISM) — is currently being developed, spearheaded by Tonya Moore, a coordinator at the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
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She’s working alongside the California Department of Education and a coalition of nonprofits like the ACLU and Los Angeles LGBT Center, that have expertise in reaching diverse families and supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
While it’s meant for schools, Moore said it can have broader applications.
“That truly makes the instructional environment safe and supportive because it’s not just targeting our queer students,” Moore said. “It’s targeting the cisgender, heterosexual person that their best friend is queer, or their parents, or their auntie or uncle or whatever it may be.”
She wants this training to go beyond common assumptions, ranging from anti-bullying techniques to understanding LGBTQ+ culture.
For example, Moore said they’ve designed a section that explores what was happening with LGBTQ+ people alongside big historical events, like the Gold Rush.
“So that course has really turned out to be, in my opinion, one of the funnest developments,” she said.
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What are LGBTQ+ educator’s lives like?
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LAist spoke to queer educators across Southern California recently, and many shared how the politicized climate around LGBTQ+ topics in the classroom has led to them being either doxed, harassed, and or feeling stuck in unsupportive work environments.
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A common thread was the desire for educators to get more guidance on working with LGBTQ+ people.
They also cover how to build inclusive environments across the campus, because “it’s not just history, social science class. We need to be safe and supportive in math class.”
Educators will be able to work through the courses in their desired order and pace as long as they meet the one-hour minimum. Here’s what the full program will cover:
- LGBTQ+ 101 & Intersectional Identities
- LGBTQ+ History & Culture
- Anti-Bullying, Harassment & Discrimination
- Strategies to Provide Safe & Supportive Spaces for LGBTQ+ Students via Peer Affinity Groups
- Suicide Risk Factors, Warning Signs & Prevention
- Implementing Best Practices for LGBTQ+ Inclusive and Affirming School Climates
Moore said the training comes with accountability measures.
Compliance will be monitored locally, and after a five-year training period, a report will be shared with the state legislature.
California has long been a frontrunner on LGBTQ+ education in the U.S. The law already says social studies and history classes should include the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.
“We're making history,” Moore said. “I truly believe this is going to have a huge impact on California, but also other states are going to look at what we’re doing.”
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All courses will be made publicly available by June 30, 2025.
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