Scotland Put LGBTQ+ Inclusion Into Every Subject. Here’s What Happened | Ep. 219 (with Darek Ciszek)
Tomorrow on Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with Darek Ciszek, a former middle school teacher and UCLA researcher whose dissertation examines LGBTQ-inclusive education in Scotland.
After watching anti-LGBTQ+ education policies spread in the United States, Darek went looking for a different model. He found one in Scotland, where LGBTQ+ inclusion has been integrated across curriculum, grade levels, and subject areas—with implementation support to help educators actually put policy into practice.
From two dads appearing naturally in a math problem to queer historical figures being incorporated into existing lessons, Darek explains why representation doesn’t always need a special month, designated bookshelf, or standalone lesson. Sometimes the most powerful inclusion happens when queer people are simply part of the everyday curriculum.
Bryan and Darek also explore gender stereotypes, student wellbeing, LGBTQ+ books in school libraries, teacher professional development, and what American educators can learn from Scotland’s approach.
And for educators wondering where to begin, Darek offers a powerful reminder: meaningful change doesn’t have to start with rebuilding your entire curriculum. It can begin by connecting LGBTQ+ inclusion to the lessons, frameworks, and knowledge students already have.
What could education look like if LGBTQ+ students didn’t have to wait for Pride Month to see themselves represented?
Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.
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Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education