KayleArlaus_EDAS740_ContemporaryIssuePaper

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CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 1 Contemporary Issues Paper Kayle Arlaus School of Education, Liberty University Author Note Kayle Arlaus I have no conflict of interest regarding this paper. Any issues involving this paper should be addressed to Kayle Arlaus. Email: kdarlaus@liberty.edu

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 2 Contemporary Issues Paper In recent years, gender identity in schools has become an increasing issue as well as how to be inclusive and morally correct at the same time. After COVID in 2020, more schools began addressing gender identity and inclusivity in their schools to the fact that many tolerance endeavors were put in place in schools (Cingel et al., 2022). However, this has been defined as being morally corrupt and intolerable in the school setting according to some religious communities, including Christianity. Social movement groups have claimed that this way of thinking is not acceptable, and it is up to the communities and schools to abide by gender pronouns and the use of the bathroom of the choice of the student regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The issue found within this research is that leaders and educators who are Christians must maintain Christian values while also acting ethically regarding legal standings while also ensuring that the choices they are making are in respect of the social standings on the topic of gender identity and its acceptance in schools across the United States. It is imperative that leaders understand that they must make informed decisions and they must act ethically in response to these tough issues and understand that there will be consequences for the choices they make (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2011). Currently, Christian leaders are really met with difficult choices in the realm of gender identity and sexual orientation. As it stands, it is known that the Bible does not condone the choice of choosing one’s gender. Deuteronomy22:5 states “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God” ( New International Version, 1978/2011). Utilizing this as the backbone of Christian defense puts Christian leaders in a tough position of what to do in terms of leading schools. It is often found that Christian communities tend to disagree with things that go

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 3 against societal norms as they are proposed in the Bible. It is fine to take a personal stance on one’s own time, but as a leader, choices must be made that will make learning environments a pleasant experience for all who are served by public schools. In this case, if a leader does not consider the thoughts and feelings of those on the other side, they will create a division within the school organization which could cripple relationships. This is a negative aspect for leaders if they happen to fall into the pitfall of losing their integrity or trying to only gain power through the choices they make instead of leading through wisdom and good guidance (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2011). This can be detrimental to the Christian cause in that there is a fine line for Christian leaders on this type of social issue according to the fact that depending on the route they take, they could be considered as discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community (Aparecida De Souza Monteiro & Rennes Marçal Ribeiro, 2019). It is imperative that the Christian leader find a way to morally stand up for what they believe in while also maintaining equality and justice within the school realm and let their actions and kindness speak volumes and demonstrate the love of Jesus through them as leaders. A wise leader will understand that regardless of the topic they are being challenged with, they will have to remember to lean on God’s guidance and that no one is perfect. In this case, it is important to remember that all have sinned and although it would be easy to condemn those who are in the middle of their sin, this is not what God wants leaders to do ( New International Version, 1978/2011, Romans 3:23-25). Christians need to remember that it is within their role to continue to show compassion and love to help steer people who are without Christ into a relationship with Him. Honestly, Christians would have better success in this endeavor if they approached everything with His love and understanding. This would make things less hostile and allow better decisions to be made in terms of His people. A study conducted by Eckerman (2022)

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CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 4 found that Lutheran schools who were more welcoming and helped transgendered students find more mental health help were able to bring more to Christ than the schools that were studied did not. This is because those who believe in Jesus were able to convey his love and the leaders did not force them out. Instead, those Christian leaders saw that they were people too and could be influenced through the love shown in their schools without having to let go of their own moral and Christian beliefs. A study by Leon and Aizpurua (2023) found that the public opinion in recent years has been overwhelmingly supportive of being inclusive within the walls of public schools. The study also found that most students seemed to conform to the stereotypes that were set before them and proposed by social norms. In this regard, Christian leaders would need to ensure that they are providing many opportunities to display their faith without being overwhelming as this could push students in the opposite direction. However, psychologists have found that their extensive research and proclamations to society have helped push tolerance into the schools in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation (Leon & Aizpurua, 2023). This study also noted that if students are not encouraged to explore who they are as people and are forced to conform to what others want, there has been a negative impact on their education and future life in that they question their safety and belonging within the schools they have joined. This is something else Christian leaders must think about when they are encountering this in schools. If they push too hard in the opposite directions and force their beliefs on others, they will not be successful in completing Christ’s mission for us on earth. Studies have shown that students who do not feel supported in their schools do not feel safe and this tends to impact their will to come to school and complete classes and assignments (Wilhelm et al., 2023). Students have claimed that when they are a member of the LGBTQ+ community they are ridiculed and

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 5 exposed to discrimination (Leon & Aizpurua, 2023). This is also a contemporary issue as it pertains to the fact that Christians are supposed to help those who are discriminated against. Although this goes against their beliefs, it is an opportunity to show kindness and acts of love in His name. Another important aspect to consider in this issue is the legality of it. For example, many cases have been taken to the Supreme Court already in favor of tolerance and inclusivity in the schools. Seals & Gonzales (2019) determined that the LGBTQ+ community have the right to be treated equally regardless of identification and this also includes schools. According to this, leaders must provide spaces and help these students in education attain their education as well regardless of their moral beliefs. It is also found that members of this community are also protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments and various other acts that protect their rights. Additional protections have been established to protect them from discrimination regardless of the sex they choose after they are born. In this case, Christian leaders need to remember that Jesus was also persecuted, and it is up to them as leaders to protect students regardless of their beliefs. In this case, Christian leaders need to be aware of laws and enforce them within their schools while also maintaining wisdom and leading in a just and fair way. If they can accomplish this, they will be supportive of the students and community they serve while also spreading the message of the Gospel. Ensuring that students are not discriminated against does not mean that leaders are conforming to the ways of society. They can find other ways to live through the examples they provide without discriminating against those they serve. Even though sexual orientation and gender identity are very touchy subjects in terms of education and in general in the United States, it is important to remember that there are ways for

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 6 leaders to remain successful and show His love in terms of the decisions they make in school organizations. It is important to remember that Christian leaders can make ethical decisions that correspond with legalities and their own moral beliefs in terms of maintaining Christian values within the school system. Leaders need to remember to love those as they would like to be loved and treat others as they would like to be treated. Regardless of the choices students and others around them decide to make, it is imperative that they maintain their morals in a way that is also loving and compassionate to others so that they may complete their mission on Earth and spread the word and love of Jesus.

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CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 7 References Aparecida De Souza Monteiro, S., & Rennes Marçal Ribeiro, P. (2019). Pedagogue action and gender and identity issues in children education. TEMAS EM EDUCAÇÃO E SAÚDE , 15 (1), 93–112. https://doaj.org/article/d7b53e3f6e7c4c98a3647cf215b19905 Blackaby, H. T., & Blackaby, R. (2011). Spiritual leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda . B&H Publishing Group. Cingel, D. P., Lauricella, A. R., Taylor, L. B., Stevens, H., Coyne, S. M., & Wartella, E. (2022). U.S. adolescents’ attitudes toward school, social connection, media use, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences as a function of gender identity and school context. PLOS ONE , 17 (10), e0276737. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276737 Eckermann, D. (2021). Bringing love to life: the inclusion of transgender students in Lutheran schools. Lutheran Theological Journal, 55 (1), 28A-34A. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu? url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly- journals/bringing-love-life-inclusion-transgender- students/docview/2553027317/se-2 Leon, C. M., & Aizpurua, E. (2023). Do Youth Dream of Gender Stereotypes? The Relationship among Gender Stereotyping, Support for Feminism, and Acceptance of Gender-Based Violence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 20 (3). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032439 Seals, A. & Gonzalez, M. (2019). Legal rights of transgender students in education. Diversity, Social Justice, and Educational Leader, 3(1). https://scholarworks.uttyler.edu/dsjel/vol3/iss1/1

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 8 Wilhelm, B. S., Lynne, S. D., Mosley, D. V., Davison, E. M., Omar, S. M., Counts, T. M., & Graber, J. A. (2023). “Binaries do not exist!” measuring gender identity among diverse rural middle-school youth. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity , 10 (3), 373–382. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000549

KayleArlaus_EDAS740_ContemporaryIssuePaper

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