LIMA — A visiting composer who worked with choir students at Lima Senior High School Friday shared not only his musical expertise, but also a message of inclusiveness and creating safe spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students.
In addition to being the artistic director of the Youth Choral Theater of Chicago, Paul Caldwell has done extensive research and surveying of college students about how their experience in high school, specifically in music programs, helped or hindered them as they began identifying as LGBTQ.
“I was able to draw statistics out of the research about what elements of their high school experience contributed to a sense of safety and what their schools could have done to help them feel more safe,” Caldwell said. “Most kids who felt they had places of safety resulted from the fact that they had interactions with people who communicated an attitude of safety or demonstrated a willingness to talk about it.”
Caldwell spoke about his research, which he conducted with Joshua Palkki, with choir students and guidance counselors at Lima Senior. The session for students was voluntary.
In talking with counselors, Caldwell recommended institutional changes the school could make to increase inclusivity and safety for LGBTQ students. He said his recommendations all came from students he surveyed while conducting his research.
For teachers, Caldwell’s suggestions included posting a rule or policy regarding hate speech in a prominent place, coming out as LGBTQ or as an ally, posting “safe space” stickers or signs outside all entrances of their classroom and saying things that encourage an atmosphere of inclusivity.
One of Caldwell’s suggestions, establishing a gay/straight student alliance, is already in place at Lima Senior.
This semester, an LGBTQ student-led organization called Spectrum was created to allow LGBTQ students and their allies to support themselves and others in a positive way. According to a news release, the group’s goal is to provide safe spaces throughout the school building and to advocate for those who are in need.
“Any time an institution can talk about it, acknowledge that it exists and say ‘we’re trying to offer support,’ that helps tremendously,” Caldwell said.
Ultimately, Caldwell said the goal of any school district or community should be to create an environment of acceptance and protection for LGBTQ students.
“There are individuals out there who are still going to be prejudiced and hurtful, we can’t necessarily change that,” Caldwell said. “But what we can do as a community is support LGBTQ students and protect them by taking a stand against unaccepting, hurtful people.”
