In 2015, Vanessa Ford’s 4-year-old came out as transgender. Ford says she was lucky to have a strong support network and an understanding school, but she was still a little overwhelmed. Even though she had spent 14 years as an educator at D.C. Public Schools, she realized there was a lot she still didn’t know, such as how to make a support plan for her daughter Ellie.

Now a board member for the National Center for Transgender Equality, she’s sharing hers and 8-year-old Ellie’s story at conferences, teacher trainings and through media outlets.

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At ASCD Empower, a conference for educators with a focus on equity, Ford presented with Becca Mui, an education manager at GLSEN, an LGBTQ advocacy group focused on schools. They shared startling statistics on the unique impacts felt by transgender students and how schools can build more inclusive and supportive environments.

Listen to the discussion on EdSurge On Air podcast.

Excerpted from “Transgender Students Are Still at Risk, But Schools Can Help” on EdSurge, an online source of  independent news and resources to help readers understand the role of technology in education. Read a portion of the interview, lightly edited for clarity.

Source: EdSurge | Transgender Students Are Still at Risk, But Schools Can Help, https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-06-04-transgender-students-are-still-at-risk-but-schools-can-help | © 2011-2019 EdSurge Inc.