Student survey results on the topic of safety in the Buena Vista School District (BVSD). This chart shows results from the most recent semester Spring 2023. Image courtesy of SCAPBVSchools.com.
During what would have normally been an uneventful Buena Vista Board of Education (BOE) meeting on Monday, February 26, two parents spoke during public participation on behalf of their daughter, regarding the treatment of LGBTQIA+ students in the Buena Vista School District (BVSD)
Heather and Ryan McFadden stood up to speak, encouraging the board to review and ensure compliance to the district’s policies on discussing controversial topics, bullying prevention, and nondiscrimination policies protecting LGBTQIA+ students (For those unfamiliar with the acronym, see definition near the end of this article.)
Heather McFadden spoke first. While she is employed by BVSD as a school psychologist, she was clear that she was speaking to the board not as an employee but as a parent. Heather began by saying she and her husband wanted to follow up on the Board’s review of S-CAP survey results which tracks how safe students feel in their school environments. Her purpose; to add important information to the conversation.
Results from the student survey from Spring 2023 indicate that a little over 47 percent of students either agree (34 percent) or strongly agree (13 percent) with the statement “The students in my school respect and help each other.” A little over 41 percent either disagree (26 percent) or strongly disagree (15 percent) with that statement. The remaining students answered, “I don’t know.”
However, nearly 35 percent of students disagree, strongly disagree, or don’t know how they feel about the statement “I always feel safe at my school,” and nearly 34 percent responded in either disagreement or uncertainty about the statement, “I feel like I belong at the school I go to now.”
Student survey results on the topic of safety in the Buena Vista School District (BVSD). This chart shows all available results from the 2018/2019 school year to the 2022/2023 year. Image courtesy of SCAPBVSchools.com.
Historic S-CAP data beginning with the 2018/2019 school year shows similar results, though in the past there were options for a “neutral” response and 2018 asked only the question about feeling like students belong.
McFadden explained that her daughter, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, is a senior, an excellent student with a high GPA, has a position in the National Honor Society, and will be graduating with a seal of biliteracy. “She’s an incredible kid,” said Heather.
McFadden went on to explain that her daughter was asked by teachers to speak out to members of the board. “She mentioned that she didn’t feel safe. Schools can be hostile to LGBTQ students, and she’s been bullied, continues to be bullied, witnessed bullying of other students, and then she’s reported to the administration over the years. She’s completed the required bullying form. She’s followed what she needs to do,” said Heather.
However, added McFadden of her daughter’s experience, “No notes were taken by the board members. She asked if she should be here, but we felt like she had been courageous enough and it was our turn.”
After she shared, a classmate claimed the topic itself was political and shouldn’t be allowed. The board member, who the McFaddens did not identify by name, deferred to the other student, agreed that political things shouldn’t be discussed, and effectively shut the conversation down.
“LGBTQ student safety is not political,” said McFadden. “And so, we should care because these youth are often scared and stressed to come to school. They face physical harassment, verbal harassment, and they often drop out of school.” She cited the fact that LGBTQ+ youth often have higher rates of absenteeism, depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts because of these experiences.
Lessons from Oklahoma, the Nation
Nex Benedict. Image courtesy of the Associated Press, provided by Malia Pila.
In recent news, a two-spirit, nonbinary teenager in Owasso, Oklahoma died after a fight with bullies in the school bathroom.
Nex Benedict walked away from the confrontation at the school, but passed away the next day. While Oklahoma police say that Nex did not die of injuries sustained in the fight, the cause of death has not been determined.
Calls from the state of Oklahoma to Rainbow Youth Project USA, which is a crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, increased by more than 500 percent after their death.
TIME wrote, “The organization received 522 calls from Feb. 16 to Feb. 23, compared to the 87 it typically receives on a weekly basis, according to data shared with TIME. About 70 percent of calls mentioned the news out of Owasso as a reason for their distress. Even more, 85 percent, said they were facing bullying at school and/or on social media.”
These tragedies exacerbate the stress that LGBTQ+ students face. According to a 2023 national survey by The Trevor Project, 41 percent of LGBTQ+ youth surveyed seriously contemplated suicide, with transgender, nonbinary, and/or people of color reporting higher rates. Transgender and nonbinary youth whose family respected their pronouns reported lower rates of stress.
“Fewer than 40 percent of LGBTQ youth found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming, and a majority of LGBTQ youth reported being verbally harassed at school because people thought they were LGBTQ,” reports the Trevor Project survey.
“Roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth found their school to be gender-affirming, and those who did reported lower rates of attempting suicide,” it continues. “These findings highlight the critical need for education and training for individuals, families, and institutions on how to create supportive environments for LGBTQ youth.”
“Our daughter is going to be okay. She’s a senior. She’s been accepted to college,” said McFadden. “We’ve given her a network of supports, but we’re here to help support all the other students who may not have the same courageousness or ability to speak their truth.”
Ryan McFadden next took the floor, focusing his time on school policy and what actions the Board and District should be taking. He encouraged the board to take a more scientific approach to data collection.
“I think you need to be scientific. You need to be anonymous, which provides more accurate data,” he said. “Not in a peer setting, which discourages differing opinions and involvement, and use an approach which logs data because this data was disregarded in your report tonight.”
He encouraged the board to improve compliance and follow the school’s policy IMB Teaching About Controversial/Sensitive Issues. He read directly from the policy itself. “Controversy is inherent in the democratic way of life. It is essential, therefore, that the study and discussion of controversial issues have an important place in education for citizenship in a free society. Students can develop into free citizens with informed loyalty to democracy only through the process of examining evidence, facts, and differing viewpoints.”
Next, he encouraged the Board to improve compliance on policy JICDE Bullying Prevention and Education, which he again quoted.
“The Board of Education supports a secure and positive school climate, conducive to teaching and learning that is free from threat, harassment and any type of bullying behavior… Bullying is prohibited against any student for any reason, including but not limited to any such behavior that is directed toward a student on the basis of his or her academic performance or any basis protected by federal and state law, including disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”
McFadden then encouraged the school to improve compliance with policy AC Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity. Once again, he read directly from the text, “The district is committed to providing a safe learning and work environment where all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect. . . Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression.”
McFadden highlighted the district’s statement in this policy that preventing and remedying harassment is essential to a safe environment and that any employee witnessing discrimination must take “prompt and effective action to stop it” with anyone who engages in discrimination being disciplined according to the district’s own policies.
Lastly, McFadden encouraged the Board to follow and adopt recommendations by the CDC and Board of Education intended to improve the lives of all students, such as professional development on inclusivity, and implementing anti-harassment policies.
“The data is here. I want you to have the courage to face it, accept it, and improve our district,” he concluded.
Buena Vista District Response
Buena Vista School District Logo courtesy bvschools.org
Ark Valley Voice reached out to BVSD Superintendent Lisa Yates for the district’s comments on the McFaddens’ public participation. Yates explained the board hadn’t yet had time to discuss it.
“I know the Board takes public comment into consideration in evaluating the district’s progress in achieving the ENDS goals and is diligent in providing response,” said Yates.
“In particular, the comments presented on Monday evening would be related to our district goal of all students being capable of building relationships, solving conflicts positively, and contributing to their community as well as the goal of students being proud of and inspired by their school experience. We will take time to review the particular claims. BV Schools is committed to maintaining a learning climate for all students to be respected and dignified,” added Yates.
“As to resources, our guidance counseling office has several community resources available to any student who might be seeking additional mental health support or peer support. These include The Alliance, Solvista [Health], and Colorado Crisis Services. Our district teachers, principals, and counselors are available to connect our students and their families with needed resources,” added Yates when asked about district resources available to help students in the LGBTQIA+ community.
During board evaluation at the end of the meeting, Board Vice President Brett Mitchell suggested that the discussion of school policies related to this topic be an action item at a later meeting.
“I’d like to see a review of what we just heard on public comment,” said Mitchell. “See where we’re going, what our discrimination policies look like, how we’re addressing the issues that we’re hearing, and what we can do to be a better place.”
Board Director Mallory Brooks spoke directly to Heather and Ryan McFadden, asking them to send a digital copy of their comment to ensure she didn’t miss any important details. Brooks also verified that the discussion would be marked down as an action item.
For those unfamiliar with the acronym, LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual. The “plus” at the end signifies any others that may identify with the community but are not included in the overall acronym, such as pansexual, two-spirit, nonbinary, demisexual, aromantic, agender, etc. The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus has a more detailed breakdown of the history of these letters. The acronym is often shortened to LGBT or LGBTQ+.
The local organization Partnership for Community Action (PfCA) provides a variety of resources to support LGBTQIA+ youth and their families. More information about their organization, including community events and resources, is available at GoPfCA.com.
Recent Comments