Text:
I moved ahead with our class reading and am inspired by the readings on sex and gender-based systems. Before becoming a school nurse, I was a pediatric psychiatric mental health nurse in an inpatient unit. The State of Rhode Island’s Guidance for Rhode Island Schools on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students: Creating Safe and Supportive School Environments shares some staggering mental health-related statistics in its introduction, and I have seen this firsthand within the psychiatric hospital setting. While I work in an elementary school and am not aware of any transgender or gender non-conforming students in my building currently, I know a couple of students have transgender family members. Additionally, I am aware of a student in Pre-K who will be attending K at my school next year and is gender non-conforming. Anxiety is already bubbling around managing this within the school setting, and I am hopeful this can be a learning experience for everyone and that we will be able to help this student feel valued and supported.
Audience:
I would like to talk about this topic with my colleagues. I feel like my background as a mental health RN, and my understanding of the positive impact that acceptance and support can have on transgender and gender non-conforming students concerning their health and success makes me the right person to initiate meaningful conversation and provide insight into the importance of supporting and valuing these students in relation to their long term health and success.
Format:
I think a slide deck to present this information during a staff meeting is the right format. This is a challenging topic for the education setting. Some teachers are scared to tackle the subject of gender with a 10-foot pole, even when it is written into the curriculum and the law. They’re afraid of backlash from parents and the loud, vocal minority. I am hopeful being armed with more information and education will help!
No comments:
Post a Comment