Mission
GLARE (GLBTQ Advocacy in Research and Education) is a group of faculty and staff in the School of Education at Brooklyn College which is committed to the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning or gender nonconforming children and youth. GLARE devotes itself to the preparation of the next generation of teachers and school professionals by conducting research on queer issues in schools and by developing affective, anti-oppressive pedagogical approaches for use in a variety of school settings. In its eight-year history as a gay-straight organization, GLARE has hosted numerous educational advocacy events on the Brooklyn College campus and elsewhere, including theatrical performances, guest speakers, film series and panel presentations. GLARE's hope is that those affected by these efforts will act on their awareness and understanding of LGBTQ issues in ways that create safe schools and safe streets for all children and families.
Strategic Goals for 2012–15
To accomplish its mission, GLARE is presently engaged in accomplishing three major goals before 2015. These goals include:
To make Brooklyn College an out and proud campus by 2015.
Drawing on both research and personal experience, the members of GLARE are convinced that the Brooklyn College community has significant work ahead as it becomes a safe, open and affirming campus for all students, including LGBTQ students and faculty. With this in view, GLARE is committed to advocacy and networking initiatives that support Brooklyn College becoming an out and proud campus in the next three years.
To prepare educators who are capable of building schools that are safe, affirming and celebratory of all including LGBT students, teachers, school personnel and students' families.
Since its founding in 2005, GLARE has worked to prepare future educators for effective, inclusive practice in classrooms and other school-based settings. Mindful of the tremendous need for schools that are safe and affirming of all children, including those who are gender non-conforming, GLARE intends to further develop educational activities and events for students in the School of Education and to expand its work to area schools where School of Education graduates are now serving as teachers or school professionals.
Through research, to create knowledge that increases understanding of queer issues in education at the local, national and international level.
In keeping with its history, GLARE intends to expand its research agenda and to disseminate its work via publications and conference presentations. Upcoming topics for investigation include: "The Intersections of Multiple Identities and Human Sexuality" (e.g., race, ethnicity, class, culture, religion); "Affective Education — The Use of Critical Self-reflection in Teacher and Professional Training"; "LGBTQ Issues for Urban Youth"; and "Sexism, Heterosexism and the Construction of Gender."
