Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education (4th ed.)

Sonia Nieto. Allyn & Bacon, 2003.

In this Fourth Edition of her best-selling book, renowned scholar Sonia Nieto explores the meaning, necessity, and benefits of multicultural education for students of all backgrounds. Intended for preservice and in-service teachers and educators, Affirming Diversity looks at how personal, social, political, cultural, and educational factors affect the success or failure of students in today's classroom. Expanding upon the popular case-study approach, the 496-page Fourth Edition examines the lives of 18 real students who are affected by multicultural education, or a lack thereof.

American Psychological Association (APA)

The APA is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the U.S. and is the largest association of psychologists worldwide. While a scientific organization, its attitude toward lesbians, gays and bisexuals can be described as fairly positive. Searching for a given topic on the APA?’s site is likely to produce a wide variety of types of results - anything from guidelines for psychotherapists dealing with a particular issue to research papers to APA-authored amicus briefs.

Resource Link: http://www.apa.org

Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children

Louise Derman-Sparks and the A.B.C. Task Force. Educators for Social Responsibility.

This resource shows early childhood educators how to examine biases, learn how they influence children, and explore ways to reduce, handle, or even eliminate them. The guide moves beyond multicultural education to creating an anti-bias environment that is developmentally appropriate. Includes a comprehensive bibliography as well as sections on learning about disabilities, gender identity, racial and cultural differences, and how to resist stereotyping.

Resource Link: http://esrnational.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Art, Dialogue, Action, Activism: Case Studies from Animating Democracy

Americans for the Arts' Animating Democracy Initiative, 2005.

This 114-page book opens with an essay by Detroit-based activist, cultural worker, and nonagenarian, Grace Lee Boggs. The book?’s case studies feature projects by the Council for the Arts of Greater Lima and Sojourn Theatre on longstanding issues of race and trust among city and county leaders, Los Angeles Poverty Department on the advent of crack in the United States and drug policy reform, The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center on engaging disenfranchised people in dialogue and action on current issues of cultural equity and democracy, and Out North Contemporary Art House on the role of same-sex couples in society.

Resource Link: http://americans4thearts.stores.yahoo.net/noname.html

Assessing Campus Diversity Initiatives: A Guide for Campus Practitioners

Mildred Garcia, Cynthia Hudgins, Caryn McTighe Musil, Michael T. Nettles, William E. Sedlacek, and Daryl G. Smith. Association of American Colleges & Universities, 2002.

This 184-page guide provides tips and tools for designing and developing effective diversity evaluations. Topics addressed include the need for assessment, designing an evaluation plan, institutional context, audience, data collection and analysis, performance indicators, and theoretical models. An appendix also includes sample assessment and evaluation tools from campuses across the country.

At Issue: Marriage. Exploring the Debate Over Marriage Rights for Same-Sex Couples

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), 2003.

This resource offers educators six lesson plans for high school aged students that challenges them to explore the range of complex issues reflected in the marriage debate. The resource was developed at the time when the U.S. was awaiting the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Court on the right of same-sex couples to civil marriage.

Resource Link: http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/educator/library/record/1411.html

Bibliography: "Campus climate" reports

Originally compiled by Robin Miller for the National Consortium of Directors of LGBT Resources in Higher Education. Last updated October 22, 2002.

Resource Link: http://www.lgbtcampus.org/resources/campus_climate.html

Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People: A National Perspective

Susan R. Rankin. The Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (www.thetaskforce.org), 2003.

This 78-page report details the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people at 14 colleges and universities across the country. Based on a survey of nearly 1700 students, faculty, and staff, Campus Climate documents experiences and perceptions of anti-GLBT bias and harassment, along with levels of institutional support for GLBT people. It highlights differences in experiences between various identity groups (e.g. students vs. faculty/staff, gays/lesbians vs. bisexuals, people of color vs. whites, etc.).

Resource Link: http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/CampusClimate.pdf

Cause For Concern: Hate Crimes in America

Civilrights.org, the Civil Rights Coalition for the 21st Century.

The first major comprehensive assessment of the hate crime problem in the United States, Cause for Concern discusses what is being done to promote respect for diversity and to combat crimes based on bias. The document includes ten recommendations for additional action by every sector of society.

Resource Link: http://www.civilrights.org/publications/reports/cause_for_concern/

Conflict Resolution in the Middle School

William J. Kreidler. Educators for Social Responsibility, 1997.

Highly acclaimed, this guide features 28 skill-building sections to help students address the conflicts that come with adolescence. Recent additions to the guide include seven implementation models; sections on creating a classroom for teaching conflict resolution, developing staff and parent support, and assessing student learning; an infusion section which includes math and science; and a section on adolescent development exploring gender and race.

Resource Link: http://esrnational.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Constructive Conversations for Challenging Times: A Guide for Home and Community Dialogue

Watertown, MA: Public Conversations Project, 2001.

A 38-page guide to convening and facilitating constructive conversations about the events of September 11 and all that has happened since. The guide draws on over a decade of experience conducting dialogues about divisive public issues such as abortion, homosexuality, and how to use natural resources. It contains instructions for a two-hour structured dialogue and suggestions for briefer or less formal conversations that have the spirit of dialogue. For step-by-step support in hosting your own dialogue in person or online, download a free copy of PCP's Guide for Home and Community Dialogue.

Resource Link: http://www.publicconversations.org

Diversity in Action

Sharon Chappelle and Lisa Bigman, with Francesca Hillyer. Project Adventure, 1999.

Provides over 100 adventure activities adapted toward issues of diversity - ranging from gender to race to class - as well as facilitation tips. Organized into thirteen diversity topics, this book will help you develop a safe atmosphere where all youth feel respected, valued, and listened to.

Resource Link: http://esrnational.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Diversity in Higher Education

Arthur Coleman. The College Board.

?“Diversity in Higher Education?” is a manual for administrators and policy makers who believe in the importance of diversity in education and are committed to equity and excellence. The manual is designed to help university administrators overcome the challenges they face in their quest to ensure a stimulating intellectual, cultural, and pluralistic campus.

Diversity Web

AAC&U's DiversityWeb is the most comprehensive compendium of campus practices and resources about diversity in higher education that you can find anywhere. This site is designed to serve campus practitioners seeking to place diversity at the center of the academy's educational and societal mission.

Resource Link: http://www.diversityweb.org

Education Policy: Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth

Jason Cianciotto and Sean Cahill. The Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (www.thetaskforce.org), 2003.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the school experiences of LGBT youth, and existing policy interventions aimed at making schools safe and affirming environments for all students. It also examines recent federal policy changes that complicate these efforts, and offers a research agenda to fill these gaps in our understanding of the experiences of LGBT youth and children of LGBT parents.

Resource Link: http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/EducationPolicy.pdf

From Wrongs to Rights: 1973 to 1999 Public Opinion on Gay and Lesbian Americans Moves Toward Equality

Alan Yang; introduction by Dr. Kenneth Sherrill. Produced by the Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Securing accurate, factual, well-researched data on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities remains one of the biggest challenges facing the advocacy movement and policy makers. This 40-page report marks an important step to deliver such data. From Wrongs to Rights collects and analyzes data from a wide range of public opinion polls done over a more than twenty year period.

Resource Link: http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/fwtr99.pdf

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)

GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. GLAAD?’s high-quality Media Reference Guide, now in its 6th edition, offers the tools journalists need to tell the stories of LGBT people in a fair, accurate and inclusive way.

Resource Link: http://www.glaad.org

Gay Rights Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

For much of American history, indeed, for much of world history, homosexuality has been a taboo subject. Often, it has been considered a crime in itself. Yet today, millions of gay and lesbian Americans are not only open about their sexuality, they are campaigning for new laws which they say would grant them the same rights accorded to heterosexuals, including the right to marry and protection against discrimination. What's more, there's been a notable shift in the public's attitudes toward homosexuality over the last two decades. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=gay_rights

Gay Rights: All the Way to the Altar?

Public Agenda.

In the next few years, politicians will have to decide whether gays and lesbians should have the right to marry, adopt children, or serve in the military, and whether they should be protected from hate crimes or workplace discrimination. Your vote can decide how far the country will go ?— or where it will refuse to go. Consider the alternatives. Decide what you think is best. And let your vote influence what they decide. This choicework guide about same-sex marriage presents three approaches: (1) Extend equal rights to all our citizens, including gay people; (2) Let states and communities choose their own solutions; (3) Protect traditional institutions and values. Each approach is accompanied by arguments for and against the approach.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/firstchoice2004/gayrights.cfm

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

GLSEN works to create safe and effective schools for LGBT students. Although its focus is on primary and secondary schools, some of its resources - which include background on why an organization like GLSEN is necessary, tools to help ensure safe schools, information on current legal and political battles over safety for LGBT students, classroom curricula and lesson plans, and tools to assist with local organizing/training - may be of a more general interest.