Harassment has no place in the TIS community and will not be tolerated. This includes but is not limited to harassment over any of the following: religious beliefs, racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or gender.
TIS Statement of Community
June is International Pride Month and international schools around the world are challenged with protecting and supporting LGBTQ+ students in their schools. International schools in particular often are located in countries where homosexuality is illegal or there is strong religious or moral opposition.
Our school issued a Statement of Community this year in response to world events that created discord between nationalities. There are also misunderstandings and confrontations over race, gender, religion, etc. with a student body of around 50 nationalities. The Statement challenges us to protect ALL students. Schools need to raise awareness and educate not only the students but also parents and employees of this ideal. Child safeguarding is a primary of schools, and the network of parents, extended family, and school employees, need to be aware of this goal.
School leaders are in difficult positions. Many religions and cultures believe that LGBTQ+ people are devient and immoral. Other countries accept that homosexuality is normal and natural and 5-10% of any population will be gay and have laws protecting the rights, such as marriage or antidiscrimination. Diverse international schools will have significant numbers of students, employees, and families on both sides of this divide. We take the stance of “protecting” students from hate speech and discrimination. A family with strong religious views may feel the beliefs of their family are not being protected when Pride Month displays are shown on campus. I believe schools are places where the exchange of ideas and opinions is valued and protected. This must be balanced with treating everyone with kindness and respect. There are no easy answers, policies, or actions that schools can take to create a totally harmonious environment.
The Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) sends a weekly newsletter (Friday’s Five Ideas for the Future) and this week’s topic looks at how international school leaders can support and represent the LGBTQ+ community. They always share articles and this is what I am taking away from my reading this morning.
I learned about the idea of the Overton Window a concept developed by the Libertarian Think Tank in my home state of Michigan, the Mackinac Center. The idea is society’s opinions on controversial topics changes with the times and politicians sense this and react through enacting laws that capture the Zeitgeist. Below is a short explanation of the Overton Window. In America, views have shifted to more freedoms and rights for the LGBTQ+ population.
I learned about the work of the Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that works to prevent suicide and intervene in crisises with LGBTQ+ youth.
AAIE believes international school leaders have the moral and ethical obligation to talk about these issues now because as leaders, we have the power to make schools safe and welcoming for all.
TIS Director's Blog 
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