Massachusetts rolls out LGBT+ friendly curriculum for schools

The US state of Massachusetts is introducing a new Safe Schools Program to teach high school students about the LGBT+ community. The program isn’t mandatory but is meant as an optional resource for teachers to take advantage of.

Lessons in the program include subjects on LGBT+ history, the Stonewall Riots, queer writers like Langston Hughes and Willa Cather.

“Students need to see themselves reflected and see others who are different from themselves,” said Jeff Perrotti, director of the Massachusetts Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students.

A 2015 survey found that at least 11 percent of Massachusetts high school students identified as part of the LGBT+ community.

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