The issue is: queer representation in elementary curricular media. How does “Queer representation” differ from sex ed? Is sex different from sexuality? What are the roles of the home v school in conversation of sex and sexuality at the elementary age?

Answers to these questions depend on religion, definitions, trust in our education system, opinions on youth development and desire for control. While the experts on this topic are parents, youth educators, and the Queer community at large, the discussion falls within the walls of political institutions and is the fuel of outrage in young adults protesting policy decisions on the issue. All are stakeholders in this discussion. Invisibilized stakeholders are Queer youth living in the state passing policy to eliminate queer representation from extracurricular media. In particular, trans youth are excluded from the discussion and invisibilized by the umbrella term “gay.” Teachers are other invisibilized stakeholders. The conversation is dominated by parents and policymakers, while the actual material impact falls on youth and educators. For this discussion, I would organize a group of students from my high school in Fayetteville, Arkansas. FHS is an extremely large public high school, so it won’t be hard to organize a concise yet diverse group of students from organizations such as Model UN, Debate, “Dog Crew,” Q&A, and “Ambassadors.” It would be great to have one representative from each extracurricular organization. We will also include faculty and parents who are interested in participating. I choose high school students because while they are not in elementary school, there is still a feeling of connection to your elementary years before you graduate high school. Simultaneously, they are at an age of maturity which permits them to have difficult, “adult” conversations.

Potential Perspectives from participants include:

• Queer representation is anti-christian; indoctrination
• Queer representation is sexual; elementary age is pre-mature to sexual exposure
• Elementary teachers aren’t equipped to discuss matters of sex or sexuality with students; (ultimately, this perspective reinforces heteropatriarchy as teachers will continue to represent heterosexual relationships in their teaching)
• Queer representation is not sex; sexuality and sex are different; representation should be visible
• Queer representation incites ideas of sex; should be discussed along with consent and autonomy

I have identified many potential perspectives on the topic; however, there are two critical opposing sides: those who want Queer representation in elementary education and those who oppose it. Those in favor of Queer representation are predominantly Queer people and allies along with institutional democrats who will do anything to oppose republicans. Those in opposition to queer representation have varying reasons for doing so; this array of opinions will need to be unpacked in order to reach a greater understanding of the whole problem. This process will be tedious and supports having the three broad, interlocking questions noted above. It is important to have those most frequently unheard speak first in this conversation. Beginning with question one and moving in a circle, each person will share their perspective on the question and respond to the person(s) before them and any additional previous perspectives that have been shared in a constructive manner which builds mutual connectivity. After every few people, we should take a pause to summarize the sentiments shared so that everyone is on the same page with where the conversation stands. As the conversation moves around the circle, we create a mind map that resembles a circular loom. 

Three important boundaries to set before entering the conversation:

1. No attacks on personal qualities
2. No direct attacks to any particular person in the conversation
3. No generalizations of a particular population of people

Initial agreements and deliberative dispositions:

1. We hold the safety and intellectual development of children at the forefront of priorities in our public education system (whether or not this is true, this must be the goal when discussing what should and shouldn’t be present in education). 
2. Every child deserves equal opportunity and access to safety and development (1) no matter their gender, race, class, religion, size and sexuality. 
3. Each speaker is entitled to their own experience and should not make assumptions about another’s experience without reaching a mutual understanding with that person. 
4. Each participant should listen generously. That is, each participant should attempt to understand and reconcile where another speaker is coming from in their sentiment. 

Background Knowledge:

The conversation will situate around the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” recently signed into law in Florida. Before the conversation, participants are encouraged to read the bill: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1557/BillText/er/PDF.

Two more precursor readings will be opinion pieces from youth: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/12/opinion/florida-dont-say-gay-bill.html

And studies of teachers’ opinions: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/30/1089462508/teachers-fear-the-chilling-effect-of-floridas-so-called-dont-say-gay-law

Definitions will be discussed in-group, as our first two questions rely significantly on definitions. As mentioned previously, the discussion format will flow circularly. After each circle, we will go around once more to vocalize responses to others’ statements. If people would like to respond more than once, they can do so, but it is likely that deliberation will dwindle to a particular set of people. We will attempt to spend 30 minutes on each of the three questions above. Participants will know these questions ahead of time and be able to have informed thoughts based on the pre-readings before approaching the discussion. If participants wish not to speak on a particular question, they may pass to the next person. We will pass a talking piece around the circle and respect the speaker with the talking piece by listening generously.