Gay & Straight Unite for PFLAG and Safe and Healthy Schools

About This Event

The Safe Schools Coalition in the Boulder Valley School District supported LGBTQ+ students in the late 1990s into the 2010s. Join us for a panel discussion with individuals who led the way in training teachers to support their LGBTQ+ students. Panelists: Jean Hodges and her husband helped to co-found the Boulder, Colorado, chapter of PFLAG where, after retiring as a high school teacher and theatre director, she served as president for 14 years. Continuing her commitment to education, she co-founded the Boulder Safe Schools Coalition in l998 and in 2010 produced the film, "Faces and Facets of Transgender Experience" to break down stereotypes and support families with gender expansive children. Bethy Leonardi is an associate professor in Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice. Along with Dr. Sara Staley, she co-founded A Queer Endeavor, a nationally recognized center for gender and sexual diversity in education, which is housed in CU Boulder's School of Education. Katy Fleming served as the BVSD K-12 Health Curriculum and Coordinated School Health Coordinator from 2001 to 2008 where she led the development and implementation of a K-12 health curriculum that integrated comprehensive sexuality education and emphasized inclusivity and healthy sexuality for LGBTQ students. With extensive community input, it took three years to adopt the curriculum, which included education about sexual orientation and gender identity starting in first grade. Katy collaborated with BVSSC to ensure seamless content integration into the curriculum and teacher training using workshops and lessons developed by Jean Hodges. Candy Hyatt, a retired educator who devoted 33 years to Boulder Valley Public Schools, has committed herself to creating safe spaces for LBGTQ children, families and teachers in educational settings. She served as a classroom teacher, Coordinator of Safe and Drug Free Schools, a Health Education Coordinator and a Building Administrator while in Boulder Valley. In each of those roles she is honored to have been instrumental in pioneering inclusive policies, classrooms and learning opportunities where everyone could belong. Deann Bucher held many roles in her career with BVSD including Diversity Cohort Leader and TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) tasked with updating the Social Studies Curriculum to be more inclusive of diverse experiences. After the completion of this work, Deann retuned to Monarch High School where she tirelessly advocated for continued change through the GSA, and the Safe Schools Coalition, organizing and directing retreats and conferences for LGBTQIA+ students, teaching a course called Understanding Diversity and starting a Gay Prom. In her final years she worked to bring a multi-stall gender nuetral bathroom to Monarch. This restroom opened in 2021. Special guest: Susie Pringle worked in the BVSD’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools program for 9 years. A big focus was on helping and supporting gay youth. A major accomplishment was getting the school board to include LGBTQ in their non-discrimination policy. Also at this time, in the late 1990’s, Susie spearheaded the application for a one million dollar federal grant for what became the Boulder County Prevention Connection. Since retirement, she focused on building community by putting on monthly dances for Lesbians and other LGBTQA+ folx. Panel moderator: John Zola spent 32 years as a high school social studies teacher; most recently at New Vista High School, a “break the mold” public high school in Boulder, Colorado. There, he developed a wide variety of courses and implemented Socratic seminars on a regular basis. John also served as the Director of School and University Partnerships at the University of Colorado School of Education where he taught social studies methodology courses over the past two decades.