Bowie is better than some schools when it comes to trans inclusion, but it still has a long way to go. Teachers might be taught to respect kids’ pronouns, but often times don’t. If they have an explanation as to why, it’s usually attributed to their age but that’s not a good excuse, especially for a teacher.

A teacher is supposed to teach new things and learn new things for new curriculum. They should be well acclimated to learning how to address someone the correct way. I expect teachers to be able to respect children.

It’s not just a matter of teachers failing to be properly respectful but also a matter of children expecting teachers to help them feel safe.

A kid coming to school knowing a teacher won’t respect them is not going to be a good student, nor are they going to enjoy coming to school. They get to class and get called a name they don’t identify with; they get called by the wrong pronouns and are generally misidentified by the person whose supposed to be the authority. The student usually can’t correct the teacher either in fear of being outed or because they don’t think any change will come of it. It’s a lose-lose situation for the student.

Another argument I hear is that it’s difficult to change. This is false, plain and simple. To make the effort to change how you talk to someone is easy. Respect costs nothing, but the absence of respect has a lot more at stake.

A common statistic is that around 40 percent of transgender teenagers will attempt suicide before their twenties, according to the Human Rights Campaign and the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s in the United States alone. This statistic is staggering and should be enough of an incentive to respect trans students alone, but that’s not the end. This rate drops to four percent if trans teens are respected and accepted. 36 percent is what’s at stake. 36 percent of transgender kids’ lives are in the hands of teachers, staff, and peers.

My experience as a transgender student has not been as bad as others because people don’t usually suspect me of being trans since I don’t openly present myself as trans. However, other students have been called slurs not just by students but by the staff as well.

Adults hold a position of power and are seen as role models, so when children feel as though a person they look up to doesn’t see them as a person, it can really affect their self-worth. Also, since teachers are role models, students are likely to follow their example and echo the same transphobic ideas that may be held by a teacher.

It’s a serious problem and can really affect a great number of students. It’s up to staff to be the change in statistics, and to make school a safe space for trans kids. There isn’t an excuse as to why adults shouldn’t be protecting kids.