What Educators in Catholic Schools Might Expect When Addressing Gay and Lesbian Issues: A Study of Needs and Barriers

ABSTRACT Previous research indicated that Catholic high schools in the United States were not addressing the topic of homosexuality in any significant and systematic way prior to the mid-1990s, though practitioners in Catholic high schools have begun to address the topic in recent years. This study, in sampling seven Catholic schools in the greater Chicago area, investigated how educators in Catholic high schools were addressing the topic of homosexuality and what barriers they encountered in efforts at implementation. It was found that their reasons for addressing the issue included two very recent developments: educators being better trained in gay and lesbian youth issues, and students “coming out” in their schools. Catholic identity has served both as a cause for and a barrier to addressing gay and lesbian issues in the schools. Two other barriers seem to be closely related: lack of support from school administration, which is strongly influenced by fear of community reaction.