Study: Schools need more data on LGBT students
Dr. Shannon Snapp, who teaches psychology at Cal State Monterey Bay, has been working with researchers at the University of Texas, Austin, and the Equity Project at Indiana University to expand knowledge about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.
In a report released March 28 by the Equity Project, “Documenting Disparities for LGBT Students,” Dr. Snapp and four colleagues say that school districts across the United States have made significant strides in addressing racial disparities in school discipline, but the same attention needs to be paid to disparities for LGBT students. The first step – just as it was in addressing racial discipline disparities – is to start collecting data that illuminates the extent of the problem, the researchers say, adding an extensive review of federal, state and local reporting requirements demonstrates that’s not happening today. “LGBT students remain largely outside the bounds of available data on education and schooling,” notes the report. This data collection gap “makes it impossible to fully understand the extent of the problem, much less generate and evaluate strategies for remediation.”
Previous research has found clear evidence that LGBT students are more likely to experience bullying and verbal or physical harassment than other students. A national study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that adolescents reporting same-sex attraction were 1.4 times more likely to be expelled from school than their heterosexual peers.
Recognizing that the privacy issues are different for LGBT students compared to gathering statistics by race, the researchers argue two federal surveys already administered anonymously by school districts could be modified to obtain crucial data.
The study has attracted widespread media attention, including:
Northeast Indiana Public Radio (also here)
A developmental psychologist, Dr. Snapp specializes in adolescent health and sexuality.
Published March 29, 2016