Safe Spaces

Quotes:

So far, so good—until the family is two moms and their children or two dads and their adopted daughter. Such families rarely make the curricular cut—they are invisible. P.85

- Such a paralyzing quote. Within society we believe sometimes that we have made a difference as the years have went on, and are more accepting than we once were. While this is true, this quote makes me take a step back and realize that maybe we haven't come as far as we should have or as we thought we have as a society. Newman explained curriculum at the beginning of the chapter, but throughout the chapter she makes connections to curriculum that I personally would have never thought to make. This whole idea of how these families with lesbian or gay parents do not make the "curricular cut" and are "invisible" is why I chose the word paralyzing.

Students understand that classrooms are not neutral spaces—they are charged with emotion. Far from being beside the point, feeling of relief and dread are the point for young people. P.83

-After starting service learning, it is clear to see that even elementary classrooms are charged with emotions of students. As students progress these emotions shift into more intellectual emotions due to the increase in knowledge. That is the basic idea of life, the older you get the more knowledge you tend to attain. However the last sentence in this quote shows that students seek to use this charged up emotion to fit in or "relieve" their-selves. LGBT students, teachers, heterosexual students should all seek for the relief in the classroom as this is a place for growth an knowledge, and Newman shows throughout this piece that we need to seek to eliminate the "dread" factor.

LGBT students need to see themselves in a world of ideas and experiences offered up by their teachers if they are to become academically and socially connected in the classroom. Heterosexual students with LGBT family members or friends need to see their loved ones reflected in the images and stories that shape ideologies. Pgs.90-91

-I felt like this quote summed up the overall message that Newman we getting at in this piece. LGBT students are no different than a heterosexual students just because of their sexual orientation, and they shouldn't feel the need to feel as if they are different in the classroom or in life in general. Reversely, heterosexual individuals with LGBT family members or friends need to be able to see their family members or friends succeed in life and be a whole member of society.

While LGBT have been becoming well accepting inside schools, how much work must we still do until we ALL one day view all individuals as the same no matter their race, gender, or sexuality?