Out in the open: Creating a safe space

Yaamini Venkataraman • February 6, 2011

AP Biology teacher Renee Fallon speaks to students about bullying

This project relates to content in the Feb. 2 El Estoque Print issue.

A sticker indicates that AP Biology teacher Renee Fallon’s room is a safe space for students of all sexual orientations. Fallon seeks to make the campus a safe space by fostering a discussion with her classes on Feb. 4. Photo by Yaamini Venkataraman.

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Click the play button to hear an edited version of AP Biology teacher Renee Fallon’s talk with her students.

Walking into class on Feb. 4, AP Biology teacher Renee Fallon’s students found an unusual item on the agenda: a bullying discussion.

After reading the articles “Behind closed doors: Gay jokes not uncommon in team locker rooms” and “It’s a sense of humor, not hate” in the Feb. 2 El Estoque Print newspaper, Fallon decided to speak to her classes about gay jokes and bullying. She pulled from personal experience, telling the story about her husband’s friend who was rejected by his family for being gay. She hopes that her students will create a safe space for students of all sexual orientations.