Parenting in Post-Obergefell America: Implications for School Administrators Interacting With LGBTQ Parents

• In Event: 41.084 - Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 41.084-12 - Playing at the Fault Line: Segregation and Challenges to Promoting Equity Through Educational Policies

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual review of the literature on LGBTQ family engagement, in order to offer recommendations to administrators for creating welcoming and inclusive school environments for LGBTQ parents and their families. Four distinct issues emerged from extant literature on family engagement for LGBTQ parents: the disclosure dilemma, school safety concerns, school-based marginalization of LGBTQ identities, and the extent to which LGBTQ parents have a physical presence in their children’s schools. The information gleaned from extant research on LGBTQ-headed families has significant implications for policies and practices that affect LGBTQ parent engagement, as well as for future studies focusing on this population of parents.

Author

• Andrew Leland, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway