The Right to Be Out - 9780816674589

"The Right to Be Out is a thorough, timely, and relevant contribution to the education community on a topic that transcends politics or geography and truly impacts every classroom in the nation. Educators of all backgrounds will find Biegel's compelling and empathic call for inclusion and self-determination both enlightening and instructive:'ûJohn Wilson, Executive Director, National Education Association

"Biegel breaks new ground in framing the right to be out as a nexus between civil rights and civil liberties; an invaluable analysis of law and educational policy for anyone who might dare to envision a schoolûor a societyûthat is truly safe, free, and fair for every member of the community'ûAnthony Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union

Despite significant advances for gay and transgender persons in the United States, the public school environment remains daunting, even frightening, as evidenced by numerous high-profile incidents of discrimination, bullying, violence, and suicide. Yet efforts to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and educators, or to enhance curricula to better reflect the experience of differing sexual orientations and gender identities, are bitterly opposed in the courtroom, at the ballot box, and especially in the schools. Underlying all of these issues is an implicit tension about the right Va be out, a right that is seen as fundamental within LGBT communities today and, legally, draws on both the First Amendment right to express an identity and the Fourteenth Amendment right to be treated equally. In The Right to Be Out, Stuart Biegel addresses the implications of asserting and protecting this right within the hotly contested terrain of America's public schools. A safe and supportive educational environment for all students is possible, Biegel concludes, if built on shared values and a belief in the strength of our pluralistic society.