The purpose of this blog post, entitled “Background Materials” is to provide information for those of us who may be new or relatively new to organizing generally, or who may not be aware of the particulars of the history of LGBTQ+ progress in the public schools over the last two decades. I hope you will find it useful.
David
To get a full context of the history leading up to the present battles, I suggest reading these two pieces these two Background Pieces, which also include lessons learned from the earlier struggles.
Background: 2002-2015, with Epilogue covering 2015 thru Winter 2023
Curriculum Victory in Montgomery County, MD: A Case Study and Handbook for Action (Revised edition with Epilogue), from the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG
More Background, 2002-2010: Guest Posts on Human Rights Campaign’s National Blog, September 2010
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2023/02/human-rights-campaign-guest-post-back.html
At the end of this blogpost, please find an excerpt from the 2010 and 2015 documents that is still salient today.
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Regarding earlier litigation, these posts should be useful.
2022 Protecting Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students: Major Court Victory Protecting Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2022/08/protecting-transgender-and-gender-non.html
(Note: Plaintiffs appealed this decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which dismissed the appeal on standing grounds. See https://moco360.media/2023/08/15/court-upholds-dismissal-of-lawsuit-challenging-mcps-gender-identity-guidelines/)
2020 What the Supreme Court’s Bostock decision means for the ACA – and what the dissents signal for progress
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2020/07/what-supreme-courts-bostock-decision.html (My hope at the end of this piece may have been too optimistic, but things are very fluid right now.)
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Here are relevant materials from 2023.
October 7, 2023, MoCo education can't be decided by conservative activitist: Assault on inclusive instruction is a threat that can no longer be ignored, from MoCo369 by Rebekah Kuschmider https://moco360.media/2023/10/07/opinion-moco-education-cant-be-decided-by-conservative-activists/?fbclid=IwAR0-zpbRy9JYDLAcRwck7FiYDxS5yvMUp8q3QRqDg2UEq3PQxAnoGIW39k0
August 24, 2023, MoCo360 report on district court denial of Mahmoud plaintiffs motion for preliminary injunction
August 4, 2023, MoCo LGBTQ Opt-Out Debate Must Focus on Facts, Not Misrepresentations, from MoCo360 https://moco360.media/2023/08/04/moco-lgbtq-opt-out-debate-must-focus-on-facts/
July 11, 2023, We Can't Opt-Out of Diversity in Our Schools and Communities, from Maryland Matters
July 1, 2023, The Facts About the Controversy Over MCPS Opt-Out Policy https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-facts-about-controversy-over-mcps.html
June 24, 2023, Letter of Support from the Coalition for Inclusive Schools and Communities (with signers)
https://docs.google.com/forms/
March 10, 2023 Presentation at Bet Mishpachah
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=123341783905221&ref=sharing
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Inasmuch as it has become clear that the 2023 controversy will likely be an issue in the 2024 Board of Education Elections, these resources from past elections should be useful.
BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS (2022, 2020, 2018, 2010)
2022 BOE Election Materials
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2022/10/observation-on-last-night-board-of.html
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2022/10/board-of-education-and-other.html (Endorsements)
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2022/09/two-problematic-montgomery-county-md.html (Esther Wells’ candidacy)
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2022/05/metro-dc-pflag-montgomery-county_33.html (Metro DC PFLAG questionnaires)
August 10 – Related blog on the County Executive Race: https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2022/08/republican-nominee-for-county-executive.html
2020 BOE Election Materials
December 31 Follow up to Fomenting Fear and Division in Montgomery County (May 2020)
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2020/12/follow-up-to-fomenting-fear-and.html
May 23, 2020 My perspectives on the 2020 Montgomery County Board of Education election primary
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2020/05/my-perspectives-on-2020-montgomery.html
May 3, 2020 Fomenting Fear and Division in Montgomery County, from Maryland Matters,
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/05/01/opinion-fomenting-fear-and-division-in-montgomery-county/
March 22, 2020 Metro DC PFLAG Questionnaire Responses from BOE Primary Election Candidates.
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2020/03/metro-dc-pflag-montgomery-county-at_22.html (At-Large answers, with links to the District Candidates’ answers)
2018 BOE Election Materials (and reference to 2010)
“At the outset, I should note that for the last several BOE election cycles, my principal concern was how the candidates felt about LGBTQ issues in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). In the last few years, the principal policy battles have been definitively won. In recent cycles we have had candidates who opposed the progress with have made in this area, but all have been defeated. In 2010, there was a “stealth” candidate who initially tried to hide her history of anti-LGBTQ advocacy; once her activities were made public, her star faded, and she was defeated. This year the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG sent out short questionnaires to all the candidates to get them on record. All but two candidates responded, and all who responded indicated support for the progress we have made. The questions and answers may be found here here and here.
[NOTE: For a fuller discussion of the 2010 BOE election, and more hyperlinks, see p. 15 of Curriculum Victory in Montgomery County.]
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-primary-endorsements-part-two.html
http://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2018/05/metro-dc-pflag-montgomery-county-at.html (At-Large answers, with links to the District Candidates’ answers)
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Communicating with students and others about how we have their backs and speaking and writing in the public square – including when there is not an immediate crisis -- is important Here are some examples that received wide distribution during the last Administration.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Resources: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Matters in the Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools (2019)
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2019/09/resources-sexual-orientation-and-gender.html
Monday, May 13, 2019
Maryland PFLAG Chapters' Letter to Gov. Larry Hogan Urging Action to Protect Transgender Maryland National Guard Service Members and Recruits
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2019/05/maryland-pflag-chapters-letter-to-gov.html
Friday, April 12, 2019
Thoughts on the current exchanges between Pete Buttigieg and Mike Pence https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2019/04/thoughts-on-current-exchanges-between.html
(this is not so much about Buttigieg and Pence as about exchanges I had with leaders of the Opposition in Montgomery County in 2004)
Monday, April 16, 2018
Thank you note to the Montgomery County Board of Education (re the naming of a new elementary school after Bayard Rustin
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2018/04/thank-you-note-to-montgomery-county.html
March 29, 2018
Thank you letter to Montgomery County Board of Education regarding its Gender Identity Guidelines
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2018/03/temple-emanuel-brit-olam-letter-to-mcps.html
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Testimony on HB 13 in the Maryland House of Delegates http://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2018/02/testimony-on-hb-13-in-maryland-house-of.html
(including letter published in the Washington Times)
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Transgender Day of Remembrance Interfaith Service and the Spiritual Journey of a Fine Woman
http://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2017/11/transgender-day-of-remembrance.html
Friday, October 13, 2017
President Trump speaks to hate group
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2017/10/president-trump-speaks-to-hate-group.html
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Presentation at the Communities United Against Hate School Conference, October 7, 2017
http://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2017/10/presentation-at-cuah-school-conference.html
Monday, March 27, 2017
Recap and Resources: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Matters in the Montgomery County Public Schools
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2017/03/recap-and-resources-sexual-orientation.html
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY: YOUR RIGHTS IN MCPS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2017/02/transgender-students-in-montgomery.html
Thursday, January 12, 2017
"We are enraged, but engaged": Views from the PFLAG/LGBT Community in the face of the incoming Trump Administration
http://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2017/01/we-are-enraged-but-engaged-views-from.html
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Life Goes On: Advocacy for LGBTQ Youth
https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2016/12/life-goes-on-advocacy-for-lgbtq-youth.html
Post-Script: The blogposts noted here typically have received hundreds of hits, going as high as more than 3,300 hits. So when you have a good blogpost and distribute it, it can lead to large numbers of people reading them, and thus having an impact.
Most of this excerpt from the 2010 and 2015 documents is still salient today:
1. As more LGBT people come out, more straight people are willing to talk about their LGBT relatives, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. Once you begin real conversations about the challenges that society poses for gay people – whether with school officials, reporters or members of the general public – more people will begin to talk about their LGBT relatives, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. As this happens, more LGBT people may be more likely to come out. Always be ready to tell your stories. Personal stories of real people, real pain, and real struggle often do as much or more than abstract academic conclusions to help people understand the importance of action. This openness breaks down the walls that have kept people from confronting the issues. Once those walls break down, progress can be swifter.
2. School officials – both elected and non-elected – need information, not just conclusions. This is important because when being asked to take steps in directions previously not taken, and where there may be pushback from others living in the school district, officials need to know not just the general conclusions about sexual orientation, but also the fact that those conclusions are supported by the mainstream medical and mental health care community. This will assist those who already agree with us, and can bring along those who may not have thought about the issue enough to be ready to take the needed steps. And, in the context of the emerging understandings about sexual orientation and gender identity, such information may help bring along those who once had been in the opposition.
3. Identify allies within school system. There may well be many teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, and others who will be supportive of your efforts. They may be able to provide insights into the ins and out of your school system. But, depending on the nature of the bureaucratic culture of a particular school system, they may or may not be able to be public allies. Of course, if schools have Gay/Straight Alliances (now more popularly known as Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), the GSA sponsors, and the students themselves, may be great partners.
4. Identify and work with allies outside the school system. Don’t think you have to go it alone. Find other groups – both governmental and non-governmental – who may be supportive. They may be part of the process of figuring out how best to proceed, including entrée to decision-makers. They may also be invaluable in creating an atmosphere of support in the community-at-large.
5. The media needs to be well informed. In the Montgomery County situation, advocates educated local reporters about the reality of where the mainstream health care professional associations stood, and why they held those positions. We did this not just at the time of the onset of a big story, but, whenever possible, in advance of such events. By sufficiently educating reporters in advance – just like we did for school officials and the public at large – the reporters were more able to present balanced articles, rather than simply writing on the fly.
6. Find forums in which to present your views and your evidence. Letters to the editor, op-ed pieces, and presentations on broadcast media are important. Find those outlets and use them. Always be prepared to make the best case for your position. Do not limit your advocacy to matters specifically related to curriculum. We need to foster a general atmosphere of understanding; such an atmosphere helps not only school system efforts, but other advancements, as well.
7. Personal relationships matter. As in any community, personal relationships developed over the years are very useful. In Montgomery County, for example, a principal advocate had worked for years as a PTA volunteer, as a local PTA president, and as a member of a number of other advisory committees and community school advocacy committees. In those activities, he developed relationships and credibility that made it easier to be an advocate for potentially controversial issues, like this one.
8. Never underestimate the depths to which the opposition will go to impose their views. This may seem harsh, but sadly it is a reflection of reality. The opposition, at least in our experience, does not simply reach conclusions by seeing the world through a different side of the prism. Rather – perhaps because their views are ideologically and theologically based – they often seem to take the view that the ends justify the means. We always need to be prepared for that, and to be prepared for the most outrageous attacks imaginable. Significantly, we need to be prepared to assist school systems in defending against lawsuits the opposition may bring in order to intimidate, and to be able to convince school systems that, if necessary, it is worthwhile to stand up to such intimidation.
9. Be ready for wolves in sheeps’ clothing. More skillful members of the opposition may couch their arguments in terms of respect for all without condoning or encouraging what they view as immoral behavior, all the while focusing on the respect angle. We must always remember that generalized statements of civility are nice, but they do little good if they are coupled with policies that marginalize our LGBT children. Also, keep in mind that people may run for school boards, or other public offices, without revealing that they have an anti-gay agenda.
10. Always be civil and dignified. It will be tempting to lash out in public against outrageous attacks on ourselves and/or our children. But it is always more important to channel that passion into effective public presentations. Anger may create a good news story on some television stations, but it does not advance the ball. Over time, people of good will come to recognize the humanity of everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
11. Efforts to reform our public schools take hard work and dedication. Activists who care about educating children on the realities of sexual orientation must be prepared to do the hard work of educating both school officials and the community-at-large. They also must carefully cultivate allies, and develop a sense of when to push hard, and when to give people in power the space to act. It is also important to understand which players we can count on to be proactive – and how to help them be so.
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