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LGBTQ+ History Month

This is a graphic in rainbow stripes with the words: BUSD Celebrates LGBTQ+ History Month, October 2024. It includes the Berkeley Unified logo.

LGBTQ+ History Month:  October 2024

LGBTQ+ History Month began with a 1994 high school history lesson in which Missouri teacher Rodney Wilson came out to his class. Wilson, who became the first out gay teacher in Missouri, would go on to found “Gay History Month,” which would eventually become the October celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month we know today. During LGBTQ+ History Month we celebrate, affirm, and highlight the deep history and significant achievements of the LGBTQ+ community in our schools, our community, and our country. National Coming Out Day, which celebrates and supports the coming out of LGBTQ+ people, is celebrated on October 11.

At the December 9, 2020 Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) School Board meeting, the Board of Education approved a Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Student Policy that fosters an educational environment from PreK through Adult Education that is safe, welcoming, and free from stigma and discrimination for all students, regardless of gender identity or expression. The Policy facilitates compliance with local, state and federal laws concerning bullying, harassment, privacy, and discrimination, and ensures that all BUSD students have the opportunity to express themselves and live authentically.

LGBTQ+ Reading Lists

This is an image of a rainbow flag with the words Pride Reading Lists

Please take some time to review the District’s Pride Reading Lists and Transgender, Non-Binary & Gender Fluid Reading Lists. Updated in the spring of 2022, these grade-level reading lists focus on the richness of the LGBTQ+ experience.

This is an image of three book covers. Fred Gets Dressed, by Peter Brown has a little person running across a room on the cover. This book is indicated for the preschool to TK reading list. My Rainbo by Trinity and DeShana Neal has a person in a blye shrit wtih flowers in their hair on the cover. This book is for K-1st grade. And They Call Me Mix by Me Llaman Maestre, has a shadow image of a child and a rainbow on the cover. This book is for 2nd-3rd grade.

LGBTQ+ Resources

 

This is an image a "Pride Month Resource Guide" and explains is from the Berkeley Unified School District. There is a drawing of a rainbow on the left hand side. There is a question in red next to the rainbow that asks: What is pride month. The following text appears under that question: The month of June was chosen for LGBTQ Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBTQ people have had in the world. Every year since 2009, Barack Obama has declared June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, saying, “I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.”

Pride Month Resource Guide

This is an image of the top half of a flyer. The headline at the top is: Harvey Milk+ Day Resource Guide. Berkeley Unified School District (revised May 2018) Then this question is posed in a light green title sized font: What is Harvey Milk Day? Below this on the left side is an image of Harvey Milk wearing a suit and tie and smiling. Underneath the image is the text: Harvey Milk Day May 22. There is a paragraph of text to the right of the images that says: In 2009, the State of California officially designated May 22 as “Harvey Milk Day.” Education Code section 37222 says that “public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to observe those days and to conduct suitable commemorative exercises . . . remembering the life of Harvey Milk, recognizing his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state.” The 2011 FAIR Education Act (SB48) also requires social studies curricula to include the contributions of LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. As such, May 22nd is a day to learn not only about Harvey Milk, but also about the many other extraordinary leaders in the LGBTQ+ community whose courageous work for queer and trans liberation has inspired many. It is important to recognize the ways in which Harvey Milk has become legible to LGBTQ+ movements as a white cis male politician, and work to balance this with those important queer and trans figures who are less prominent - specifically, people of color and transgender people. A link to a readable PDF is under the image of this flyer.

Harvey Milk+ Day Resource Guide

 

Lifting Up BUSD Staff LGBTQ+ Voices

In celebration of our LGBTQ+ community, this year BUSD has continued “Lifting Up LGBTQ+ Voices,” a campaign to share our staff LGBTQ+ narratives with our students and community by creating posters featuring the stories and experiences of LGBTQ+ staff. In October, these posters will be displayed at schools, work sites, on the BUSD website, in social media, and in district publications. Sharing these narratives with our students will allow them to deepen connections with LGBTQ+ adults in the district.

This is a poster featuring Longfellow Middle School teacher Susannah Bell. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Susannah Bell

Education Specialist

Longfellow Middle School

This is a poster featuring Emerald Chan. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Emerald Chan

Math Teacher

Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

This is a poster featuring Sylvia Mendez teacher Denisse Perez Estrada. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Denisse Perez Estrada

Kindergarten Teacher

Sylvia Mendez Elementary School

This is a poster featuring Rosie Hopkins. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Rosie Hopkins

IEP Coach

District Office

This is a poster featuring teacher Joemy Ito-Gates. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Joemy Ito-Gates

Ethnic Studies Teacher on Special Assignment

District Office

This is a poster featuring Berkeley High School IAPP Jacob. There is a photo of him, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Jacob

IAPP

Berkeley High School

\This is a poster featuring Longfellow Middle School teacher Aimee Lubalin. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Aimee Lubalin

Music Teacher

Elementary & Middle Schools

This is a poster featuring Berkeley High School teacher Kendra Lubalin. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Kendra Lubalin

History Teacher

Berkeley High School

This is a poster featuring Emersonh School teacher Oriana Melgoza. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Oriana Melgoza

First Grade Teacher

Emerson Elementary School

This is a poster featuring Emersonh School teacher Hasmig Minassian. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Hasmig Minassian

9th Grade Teacher

Berkeley High School

This is a poster featuring Longfellow Middle School Garden Instructional Specialist Pua Owan. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Pua Owan

Garden Instructional Specialist

Longfellow Middle School

This is a poster featuring Zora Raskin. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF

Zora Raskin

Mild/Mod Special Education Teacher

Oxford Elementary School

This is a poster featuring Sylvia Mendez Elementary School teacher Lourdes Rivas. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF

Lourdes Rivas

Kindergarten Teacher

Sylvia Mendez Elementary School

This is a poster featuring Emerson School Special Education Paraprofessional Cynthia Rivera. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF.

Cynthia Rivera

Special Education Paraprofessional

Emerson Elementary School

This is a poster featuring Berkeley High School teacher Stephanie Schaudel. There is a photo of her, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF

Stephanie Schaudel

CAS History Teacher and Wellness Coordinator

Berkeley High School

This is a poster featuring King Middle School teacher Gloria Schoenfeldt. There is a photo of her and another person, and one as a child. It is a small image and not readable, but by clicking on the image you will see a readable PDF

Gloria Schoenfeldt

Science Teacher

Martin Luther King Middle School

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Anti-Bullying: Board Policy | Administrative Regulation | Compliance

Suicide Prevention: Board Policy

Notification of Non-Discrimination Policy:

The Berkeley Unified School District is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in district programs and activities. Accordingly, BUSD programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression; nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. The Board shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all district activities. (Board Policy 0410, Board Policy 1311, Board Policy 4030, Board Policy 5145.3, Board Policy 5145.7)

The Board also prohibits retaliation against any district employee or job applicant who complains, testifies or in any way participates in the district's complaint procedures instituted pursuant to this policy. (Board Policy 4030)

Complaint forms are available at school sites and on the district webpage at www.berkeleyschools.net/complaints.

For inquiries or concerns regarding BUSD nondiscrimination policy 5145.3 or the filing of discrimination complaints please contact:
Jasmina Viteskic, Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer
2020 Bonar Street Room 116, Berkeley, CA 94702
Phone: 510.486.9338     Email: nondiscrimination@berkeley.net
More information is available at www.berkeleyschools.net/non-discrimination/.
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