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“Catherine Connell’s study of gay and lesbian teachers in California and Texas gives the lie to the idea that the closet is no longer relevant in American culture. Because they have often been seen as guardians of morality, teachers—particularly those who transgress gender norms—must carefully negotiate their private and professional identities. School’s Out vividly documents the difficulties they face in reconciling gay pride and professionalism.”—Arlene Stein, Department of Sociology, Rutgers University
“Through interviews with and observations of public school teachers in California and Texas, Catherine Connell brilliantly highlights how—under the guise of ‘professionalism’—gay and lesbian teachers are subject to homophobically motivated discipline and dismissal. School’s Out is a wake-up call, encouraging us to think about how we might ‘queer’ schools in order to make them safer educational environments for students and teachers alike.”—C.J. Pascoe, Department of Sociology, University of Oregon, and Chair, Sex and Gender Section of the American Sociological Association
“Catherine Connell’s fascinating study of teachers’ classroom experiences with coming out reveals the challenges and opportunities faced by lesbian and gay teachers. This clear and insightful book raises important questions for educators, policy makers, scholars, and activists about what a gay- or queer-friendly school means and which strategies are truly transformative.”—M.V. Lee Badgett, author of When Gay People Get Married: What Happens When Societies Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
List of contents
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
1. Pride and Professionalism: The Dilemmas of Gay and Lesbian Teachers
2. “Like a Fox Guarding the Henhouse”: The History of LGBTs in the Teaching Profession
3. Splitters, Knitters, and Quitters: Pathways to Identity Making
4. Dangerous Disclosures: The Legal, Cultural, and Embodied Considerations of Coming Out
5. “A Bizarre or Flamboyant Character”: Homonormativity in the Classroom
6. Racialized Discourses of Homophobia: Using Race to Predict and Discredit Discrimination
7. From Gay-Friendly to Queer-Friendly: New Possibilities for Schools
Appendix A: Methodology
Appendix B: Interview Schedule for Teachers
Notes
References
Index
About the author
Catherine Connell is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Boston University.
Summary
Using interviews and other ethnographic materials from Texas and California, this book explores how teachers struggle to create a classroom persona that balances who they are and what's expected of them in a climate of pervasive homophobia.
Additional text
"School’s Out raises important questions about our schools and the profound challenges they create for LGBT teachers—and anyone else who is concerned about sexual justice."
