Out Youth’s Texas GSA Network is proud to announce the launch of Be a Beacon – professional development training for all K-12 school-based staff who work with youth on how to create supportive learning environments for LGBTQIA+ students.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) youth and students throughout Texas deserve to be welcomed into a community and learn in a safe school setting. To foster an equitable shared setting and learning space for all, teachers, counselors, school personnel on K-12 campuses, as well as professional who work with youth, must be culturally competent and able to support LGBTQIA+ youth.

“We created Be a Beacon for school staff because of the needs we’ve been hearing for years from both youth and teachers,” explained Frederick Heather, Out Youth’s Advocacy & Education Manager and Coordinator of the Texas Gender & Sexuality Alliance Network. “Students regularly report that even when adults have been present when they’ve experienced anti-LGBTQ bullying, no one does anything.”

Be a Beacon, an asynchronous three-level professional development training from Out Youth’s Texas GSA Network, provides staff on K-12 school campuses and adults who work with youth across Texas with the knowledge and tools they need best to serve youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We are thrilled that Austin Independent School District debuted Level 1 of Be a Beacon for its staff to coincide with the district’s annual Pride Week celebrations in April 2021.

“It’s incredibly important that our schools are safe and inclusive spaces. Teachers and school personnel spend many, influential hours with our children," explained Roseann Ferraro, Out Youth Board Member and parent of two elementary-aged children. “Professional development like Be a Beacon should be required for anyone who works with students so they can learn how to be the best support system possible for our LGBTQIA+ youth. The entire student body and greater school community also benefit when time and attention is spent educating ourselves and others how to effectively empathize, support and partner with those who are different from us.”

Level 1 of Be a Beacon was created for all adults on K-12 campuses. It includes LGBTQIA+ 101 and Intervening in Bullying and Harassment Against LGBTQIA+ Students. Research shows that when LGBTQIA+ youth view school personnel as supportive, they feel safer, have fewer absences for safety reasons, report fewer school-related problems, and have higher grades. Additionally, studies show that when school personnel intervene to stop negative comments, students are more likely to feel that their schools are safe for LGBTQIA+ students. They also hear fewer LGBTQIA+ related slurs, experience less LGBTQIA+ bullying, participate more in school, and report more caring relationships with teachers.

Level 2 is intended for educators, librarians, counselors and administrators, but will be open to all who have completed Level 1. It includes ‘Know Your Rights’ & ‘Navigating Difficult Conversations’, meant to prepare school staff for difficult conversations with other adults, and concludes with an intensive lesson on supporting a student who comes out to you. If you’ve got questions about “no promo homo” or “don’t say gay” laws, this is the training for you!

Level 3 is designed for teachers and librarians, but will also be open to everyone who has completed Level 2. From creatives like Frida Kahlo, Oscar Wilde, Freddie Mercury, and Ma Rainey to Doctors Alan Turing, Sally Ride, Maya Angelou, and Rachel Levine, educators will learn about ‘Integrating Intersectional Queer Content into Curriculum’ by incorporating both the contemporary and historical contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community in all subjects. The training closes with practical tips for spreading allyship off-campus.

“I’m very excited to see Be a Beacon becoming available in our community,” said Dr. Stephen Russell, Director of the School of Human Ecology and Chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. “In the last decade, a growing body of research has confirmed that one of the strongest protective factors for LGBTQIA+ students is having supportive school personnel, and also that professional development plays a significant role in preparing teachers to support LGBTQIA+ and all students.”

“I'm so thankful for Out Youth for offering this training!” Sam Davis, Upper School Library Educational Technologist and Assistant Director of Diversity & Inclusion at St. Andrew's Episcopal School said. “Be a Beacon is a guiding light of truth and knowledge that helps educators become better allies and advocates for LGBTQIA+ students. This training provides all of the language and resources to make students not only feel safe but feel seen in and outside of the classroom.”

All levels should be available in Spanish no later than the first quarter of 2022.

For more information on Be a Beacon, or to purchase this training visit beabeacon.lgbt