Mixed Blessings: National Study of the Experience of LGBTQ Educators in Catholic Schools

• In Event: 61.038 - Queerness and the Catholic Educational Mission: Untold Stories

Abstract

Mixed Blessings: National Study of LGBTQ Educators in Catholic Schools
Being gay and working in a Catholic school in the USA is professionally challenging and often comes at huge personal cost. In this paper the researcher will share the findings from a national study of the experience of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) educators in Catholic Schools -
Using a lens uniquely created from social critical theories of queerness, feminism, and Catholic Social Thought this study was created in response to the firings and lived experiences of queer educators committed to Catholic education.The researchers envisioned this as an opportunity for participants to reflect deeply and critically on their vocation as queer educators in Catholic schools.The research questions that shaped the survey are a reflection of three dissertations on the topic of LGBTQ educators in Catholic education completed between 2000 and 2016 by scholars in New York, San Francisco and LA.
In this mixed method study participants were invited to complete a survey on their experiences as queer educators in Catholic schools. Additionally they were given the opportunity to share personal narratives and have further dialogue with the researchers. Participants were also invited to share their personal information if interested in further contact with other queer educators in Catholic schools Over one hundred queer educators in Catholic schools with personal connections to the researchers were contacted directly. Additionally 4000 plus members of the national group New Ways Ministry were invited to contact the research team for personal - direct invitations.
What the researchers found to be most significant was the deep commitment to the vocation of being an educator in a Catholic schools. Participants wrote candidly about their vocations being a mixed blessing - something that they experienced as a ‘push and pull’ Most significant was the deep tie to their faith that participants shared - noted in the staggering numbers of respondents who serve as religious education teachers or campus ministers.(80%)
There is a strong desire among queer educators in Catholic schools to remain - they are an invaluable asset to the communities,especially as role models for students who are LGBTQ. The researchers highly recommend a shift in school policies that would allow queer educators to serve openly. The creation of a national group that supports queer educators in Catholic schools and becomes a public voice that advocates for the group. The group purpose would be two fold - advocacy and fellowship The researchers have effectively implemented one of the three recommendations - to create a faith group for queer educators in religious schools - The group has been meeting regularly for almost a year and held a full weekend retreat as well as monthly fellowship meetings. At least ten folks participate regularly - and our hope is that his group will grow to be a national voice of witness that supports queer educators and challenges the oppression they experience on a daily basis.

Author

• Jane Bleasdale, University of San Francisco