Course Syllabus

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EFDT 486.3 Queering our Schools and Communities

Instructor: Dr. Sheelah McLean

Winter (Term 2)

Classroom: 1039

Credits: 3

 

Land Acknowledgement

The University of Saskatchewan main campus is located in Treaty 6 territory which has been the traditional territory of the Neyonawak Inniniwak and Dakota Nations for millennia, homeland of the Métis peoples and where many other First Nations and Inuit people now call home. 

Catalogue Description

This course focuses on the political, psychological, and ethical issues surrounding 2SLGBTQI+ teachers/administrators, inclusiveness of the curriculum, resource-centre policy, homo/transphobia and 2SLGBTQI+students and staff, and issues faced by school counselors. Indigenous and colonial perspectives on 2SLGBTQI+ will be examined.

Course Description

Queer is a deconstructive practice focused on challenging normative knowledges, identities, behaviors, and spaces thereby unsettling power relations and taken-for-granted assumptions (Hunt & Holmes, 2015, p.156).[1]

This course focuses on the political, psychological, and ethical issues surrounding 2SLGBTQI+ teachers/administrators, inclusiveness of the curriculum, resource-centre policy, homo/transphobia and 2SLGBTQI+students and staff, and issues faced by school counselors. Students will analyze the political, psychological, and ethical issues surrounding  2SLGBTQI+ topics  for teacher/administrators, students, staff, and families. Students in the course will learn observation and interview skills; these will support them to develop materials, resources, and practices to support inclusion within curricula, resource-centres, counseling programs, and regarding 2SLGBTQI+ students, staff, and families.

[1] Hunt, S., & Holmes, C. (2015). Everyday decolonization: Living a decolonizing queer politics. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 19(2), 154-172.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have demonstrated ability to:

  • discuss and analyze topics relevant to 2SLGBTQI+ students,  educators, and communities;
  • explore community attitudes towards sexuality, gender identity and gender expression, and the way these attitudes impact school life;
  • explore relevant current realities faced by teachers, principals, counselors, and librarians;
  • review practices and materials (including curricular outcomes and documents) that Illuminate realities relevant to  2SLGBTQI+ students, families, school staff and faculty;
  • discuss the ways that colonialism and heteropatriarchy impact schools and learning communities

Course Overview

This course will address Indigenous and colonial perspectives on sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression. Students will develop observation and interviewing skills, as they explore literature and school/community spaces regarding what it means to queer schools and communities. They will read current research regarding2SLGBTQI+  youth, including regarding hate crimes and violence, and suicides, and discuss how this is reinforced by colonialism. Included will be examination of curricula, counseling services for 2SLGBTQI+ youth, and the concepts of “safer schools”,  “ally-ship” and creating “brave spaces”.

 

Class Schedule

January 27th and 28th   

Topics:  Introductions; Indigenous perspectives on sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression; Queer theory, heterosexism, homophobia, rural issues.

Reading Groups:  Friday

#1 Article Summary due

  1. Wilson, Alex, Our Coming In Stories: Cree Identity, Body Sovereignty and Gender Self- Determination, Journal of Global Indigeneity, 1(1), 2015. Available at:http://ro.uow.edu.au/jgi/vol1/iss1/4

  2. Wilson, Alex. (2008) N'tacimowin inna nah': Our Coming In Stories Canadian Woman Studies. Downsview: Winter/Spring 2008. Vol. 26, Iss. 3/4; p. 193. Wilson.pdf 

  3. Epp, C. (1998). Coming to terms with Navajo nadleehi. American Ethnologist. American Ethnologist - 2008 - Epple - Coming to Terms with Navajo N dleeh A Critique of Berdache Gay Alternate.pdf 

  4. Pyle, K. (2018). Naming and claiming: Recovering Ojibwe and Plains Cree Two-Spirit Language. Transgender studies Quarterly, 5(4) 574-588. Kai Pyle, Naming and Claiming.pdf 

Readings for Saturday 

Summary notes for discussion                                                 

Driskill, Qwo-Li, Insurrections: Indigenous Sexualities, Genders and Decolonial Resistance, Journal of Global Indigeneity, 1(1), 2015.  Available at:http://ro.uow.edu.au/jgi/vol1/iss1/2

Valentine, D. (2001). Review: Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality by Sue-Ellen Jacobs; Wesley Thomas; Sabine Lang; Men as Women, Women as Men: Changing Gender in Native American Cultures by Sabine Lang. Signs, 27(1). 290-294  

 

Additional Resources:

Violence on the land, violence on our bodies. Toolkit.  Native Youth Sexual Health Network http://landbodydefense.org/uploads/files/VLVBReportToolkit2016.pdf?

Genovese, M. & Rousell, D. (2011). Safe and Caring schools for Two-Spirit Youth: A Guide for teachers and students. The Society of safe and caring schools & Communities. http://starsusask.blogspot.ca/2012/01/two-spirit-youth-resource.html

 

Video:

Olson, L (2011). Our place in the circle.  National Film Board of Canada.

 

Feb 10th and 11th  

Topics: Queer theory, heterosexism, homophobia, rural issues

Reading Groups: Friday

#2 Article Summary due

  1. Marple, L. (2005) Rural Queers? The loss of the rural in queer. Canadian Woman Studies, Volume 24 (2,3). https://cws.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cws/article/view/6119/5307
  2. Korinek, V. (2003). The most openly gay person for at least a thousand miles: Doug Wilson and the politicization of a province, 1975-83. The Canadian Historical Review.ProQuestDocuments-2023-02-04.pdf 
  3. Sullivan, R. (2009) Exploring an Institutional Base: Locating a Queer Women's Community in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Atlantis1, 2009  http://journals.msvu.ca/index.php/atlantis/article/view/221/211
  4. McNinch, J. (2008): Queer Eye on Straight Youth: Homoerotics and Racial Violence in the Narrative Discourse of White Settler Masculinity, Journal of LGBT Youth, 5:2, 87-107 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361650802092499

 

Readings for Saturday

Summary Notes

Hunt, S., & Holmes, C. (March 2015). Everyday decolonization: Living a decolonizing queer politics. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 19(2), 154–172. Retrieved May 16, 2015. HuntHolmes2015EverydayDecolonization1 (1).pdf 

Ryan, C.L. (2016). Kissing brides and loving hot vampires: Children’s construction and  perpetuation of heteronormativity in elementary school classrooms. Sex Education 16(1). 77-90.  Ryan (2016).pdf 

Grossman, A. D'augelli, A. & Frank, J. (2011): Aspects of Psychological Resilience among Transgender Youth, Journal of LGBT Youth, 8:2, 103-115 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2011.541347

Being Safe, Being Me in the Prairie Provinces: Results of the Canadian Trans Youth Health survey in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (2015). SARVAC (Stigma and Resilience among Vulnerable Youth Centre) University of British Columbia.

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Additional Resources

NFB Video Playlist:

https://www.nfb.ca/playlist/edu-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-secondary/

 

March 10th and 11th

Gender and sexuality in schools

Readings Groups: Friday

#3 Article summary due

  1. Sabzalian, L. (2018). Curricular standpoints and Native feminist theories: Why Native feminist theories should matter to curriculum studies. Curriculum Inquiry, 48:3, 359-382.
  2. Janmohamed, Z. (Fall 2010). Queering early childhood studies: Challenging the discourse of developmentally appropriate practice. The Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 56:3,304-318
  3. Callaghan, T. D. (2016). Young, queer and Catholic: Youth resistance to homophobia in Catholic schools. Journal of LGBT Youth, 13:3, 270-287.
  4. Wilson, A., Murray, J. Loutitt, S. & Scott, R. N. S. (2021). Queering Indigenous land-based education. In Russell, J. (ed.) Queer Ecopedagogies, International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education.

 

Reading Groups: Saturday

#4 Article Summary due

  1. Paceley, Megan S. & Flynn, Karen. (2012). Media Representations of Bullying Toward Queer Youth: Gender, Race, and Age Discrepancies, Journal of LGBT Youth, 9(4), 340-356 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2012.714187
  2. Goldstein, Tara PhD, Collins, Anthony BA, & Halder, Michael BSc. (2008). Anti-Homophobia Education in Public Schooling: A Canadian Case Study of Policy Implementation, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 19(3-4), 47-66 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10538720802161540
  3. Watson, Laurel B., Varjas, Kris, Meyers, Joel, & Graybill, Emily C. (2010). Gay–Straight Alliance Advisors: Negotiating Multiple Ecological Systems When Advocating for LGBTQ Youth, Journal of LGBT Youth, 7(2), 100-128 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361651003799700
  4. Macgillivray, Ian K. (2008). My Former Students' Reflections on Having an Openly Gay Teacher in High School, Journal of LGBT Youth, 5(4), 72-91 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361650802223045

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Additional Resources:

McNinch, J., Totten, M., & Thompson, S. (2005). Que(e)rying Inclusive Practice: Exploring and Challenging Homophobia in Curricula and Schools. Dr. Stirling McDowell Foundation for research into teaching. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. http://www.mcdowellfoundation.ca/main_mcdowell/projects/research_rep/125_que(e)rying_inclusive_practice.pdf – selected sections

 

Walton, Gerald. (2004): Bullying and Homophobia in Canadian Schools, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education, 1:4, 23-36 http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J367v01n04_03

http://news.ubc.ca/2014/01/20/gay-straight-alliances-in-schools-reduce-suicide-risk-for-all-students/

 

March 31st and April 1st

Topics: Curriculum, LGBTTQ teachers, creating safe schools, current issues, Becoming an ally

 

Reading Groups: Friday

Summary Notes for Discussion

  1. Laurel B. Watson, Kris Varjas, Joel Meyers & Emily C. Graybill (2010): Gay–Straight Alliance Advisors: Negotiating Multiple Ecological Systems When Advocating for LGBTQ Youth, Journal of LGBT Youth, 7:2, 100-128 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361651003799700

  2.  Meyer, E. (2007) "But I'm not gay": What straight teachers need to know about queer theory.  In W. Pinar & N. Rodriguez (Eds.) Queering Straight Teachers: Discourse                       and Identity in Education, (pp. 15-29). New York: Peter Lang. Meyer2007 (2).pdf 

3.    Schneider, Margaret S. & Dimito, Anne. (2008). Educators' Beliefs about Raising Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in the Schools: The Experience in Ontario,                 Canada, Journal of LGBT Youth, 5(4), 49-71 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361650802223003

4.     Grace, André P. & Wells, Kristopher. (2005). The Marc Hall Prom Predicament: Queer Individual Rights v. Institutional Church Rights. Canadian Journal of Education / Revue                    canadienne de l'éducation, 28(3), 237-270. Published by: Canadian Society for the Study of Education: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4126470

 

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Additional Resources:

 

Video:

Chassnoff, D. (2007) It’s Still Elementary.

 

Linville, D. ( April, 2017). Queering Education: Pedagogy, Curriculum, Policy. Occasional Paper series #37.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due