Queering Elementary Education

Rating:
Summary: Every elementary school teacher must read this!
Review: "Children don't need to hear about any sexual issues at their age, but I'm not a homophobe or anything." "Children are innocent, so I wouldn't bring up gay issues, but I'm not a homophobe or anything." "I don't challenge children that use homophobic words because they just mean 'jerk', but I'm not a homophobe or anything." Every gay elementary school teacher and every gay rights activist has heard these lies. Finally, there is a book that addresses such non-sense. And this is a book by teachers for teachers. This book explains how pervasive homophobia is in the primary school system and it offers valuable ways to stop the prejudice. Too many education texts are written by teachers that are only used to being read by their students. The writers here are good (or well edited, at least) and their work has been strongly influnced by multiculturalism, feminism, and upper-level academic theory. The anthology includes pieces by women and people of color. It even has a piece by straight educators and one by an Australian activist. I think the editors are going to lose many readers due to their overly easy use of the word "queer", but for those who choose to continue reading, they will like what they find.