School-based gay-affirmative interventions: First amendment and ethical concerns

I.H. Meyer and R. Bayer

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 10, 1764-1771

Abstract: Public health professionals and educators have developed effective schoolbased interventions to reduce prejudice and stigma against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. Such interventions can reduce the harm caused to sexual minority youths by stigma and can improve health outcomes. However, critics have warned that these interventions attempt to control speech and religious beliefs protected by the First Amendment. We review this critique and assess the legal and ethical arguments. We conclude that, both legally and ethically, there is great leeway for schools to implement LGBT-affirmative interventions. Still, we recommend that interventionists attend critics' concerns using principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR). Using CBPR approaches, interventionists can achieve better community acceptance and cooperation and more successful interventions.

Keywords: article; bioethics; civil rights; curriculum; education; ethics; female; human; male; organization and management; participatory research; religion; school; sexuality, Bioethical Issues; Civil Rights; Community-Based Participatory Research; Constitution and Bylaws; Curriculum; Female; Humans; Male; Religion; Schools; Sexuality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301385_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301385

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