Tolerance.org: Teaching Tolerance

• Stand up against all forms of bias. Incident reports indicate that school officials often respond differently to anti-gay harassment than to other bias matters. Be alert to colleagues' comments that blame gay students for the bias or abuse they have suffered, such as "You have to expect this kind of stuff if you're going to be gay." Provide information that addresses the special concerns of gay and lesbian students (see also Provide Support for Victims). Teachers who want to respond to anti-gay incidents but lack administrative support can seek tips from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) through its Web site or local chapters (see also Resources).

• Listen carefully to allegations of teacher bias. Be alert to specific details and to patterns of accusation, but be careful to avert false charges or overreaction. If a student reports that a teacher is "racist," for example, explain that such a charge requires evidence that the teacher treats some students differently from others on the basis of race.

• If the report is more specific — for instance, that the teacher has used a slur — inform the student that such accusations are very serious and that false accusations warrant disciplinary action. Let the student know that your handling of the matter will reflect your respect for both the student and the teacher. Inform the teacher of the allegation, remind him or her of your obligation to take the matter seriously, and assure the teacher, as well, that your response will reflect your respect for both parties. As the situation warrants, consider options such as notification of the principal, a teacher apology, parent-teacher conference, colleague mediation or mandatory anti-bias training.

• Respond to high-profile incidents of teacher bias. If a teacher's biased comment or action has affected the whole school, administrators should consider a school-wide response, as discussed in School-Wide Emergency Response.

• Take a personal stand. Obviously, responding to a serious incident involving a principal is a challenge. If class discussions of a bias incident are not possible, teachers may decide to respond on their own. For example, a teacher might tell students at the beginning of class, "I regret that our principal criticized interracial dating and offended many students. I disagree with what he said."

• Seek advice from experts. The Office of Civil Rights, the Department of Justice Community Relations Service, teacher associations or local chapters of human rights organizations can provide guidance and support. The American Federation of Teachers, for example, offers assistance through its Human Rights and Community Relations Department (see also Resources).

"Most of us school administrators are trained to play turtle — pull your head in and hope things will go away. One of the hardest things I've ever done was to open up [about a teacher-made worksheet that appeared to promote the kkk] and let tv cameras zoom in on it and say, ‘This is the worksheet the teacher used; these were the teacher's intentions. There's nothing to hide. There are a lot of misconceptions about it on both sides, and the only way to deal with them is to be open.' We knew tackling it that way would be more painful in the short run but more helpful and healing in the long run."
Mark Stock, superintendent of Wawasee (Ind.) Community School Corporation