Schools' final grades show room for improvement
Dene Guillas, School Equity & Inclusion Coordinator (pictured), delivers the hard news: schools need to put more effort into their diversity training.
Dene Guillas (he/they), Rainbow Resource Centre's School Equity & Inclusion Coordinator (SEIC), has come to the end of a busy school year — a year where the fight to ensure queer and questioning youth have access to books in school libraries has been making headlines and putting unnecessary pressure on youth just trying to be kids. With the year over, Dene takes a breath to tell us more about himself, his work, and the work that remains to be done.
In the 2022–2023 school year, of Manitoba's approximately 700 schools, Rainbow has worked with around 50 schools and gender and sexual alliances (GSAs) in one way or another. Considering that work mostly falls on one person, that's a lot of kids, teachers, and support staff impacted by Rainbow Resource Centre.
Dene, a Two-Spirit (Métis), pansexual, transgender man, father, and partner, started transitioning just 5.5 years ago. For the last four years, as Rainbow's SEIC, Dene has facilitated educational workshops for schools, youth organizations, childcare facilities, family groups, sports groups, and Indigenous organizations — basically, anywhere there's youth.
He rarely sits still for long, with many people reaching out to him for help — and that demand means presentations are booked many months, nearly a year, in advance. The participants of his school presentations are usually school staff, like teachers, EAs, admin, support workers, etc. Still, you can often catch Dene giving a dynamic, empowering, affirming speech to youth.
When asked about grading schools in Manitoba he replies, "It's hard to say an overall grade, especially since the schools that really need some guidance and support rarely contact us. Based on the ones that do contact us, I'd have to give them a C. A lot of schools have just recently started putting a focus on 2SLGBTQ+ specific inclusion, so we have a long way to go. There is always room for improvement.”
Even with queer rights and issues in the news on a near-daily basis, schools, like many organizations, may only budget for a few hours a year(!) for professional development or supportive workshops, only a portion of which can be dedicated to 2SLGBTQ+ issues. If schools do opt for diversity/equity training, they reach out to subject matter experts like Rainbow for that training, which is great, but it's critical to take the initiative to continue learning and then create an implementation plan.
For schools, there is essential homework this summer: educate yourselves. "There are many ways to educate yourself," Dene says. "Follow 2SLGBTQ+ thought leaders on social media, attend community events, volunteer at community organizations. You can also learn more about 2SLGBTQ+ issues by supporting 2SLGBTQ+ organizations and understanding what they're going through as a business. And next year, back in the class, find ways to incorporate 2SLGBTQ+ history, visuals, learnings, and information into the curriculum."
Supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth is a pillar of Rainbow's mandate, but we're talking about more than a business model — it's about the kids. Ensuring safe spaces, access to accurate information, and inclusive education is critical to the well-being of the youth and the future of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Freedom from stigma in schools is a pathway that leads to long-lasting health and success and a sense of Pride across generations.
In preparation for next year, Dene urges school boards, teachers, and support staff to take on more actionable advocacy at their schools. He says, "It's now less about, 'I'm a good ally because I don't say anything bad,' and more about, 'I will put myself in the line of 2SLGBTQ+ phobias and actively stand up to hate even if it makes me uncomfortable. All students have a right to safety in their schools to thrive.'"
When the bell rings, and classes start next year, will your classroom and staff be safe for youth starting and continuing their 2SLGBTQ+ journey? If you have questions or need inspiration, don't hesitate to get in touch with Dene at deneg@rainbowresourcecentre.org.