On Discrimination against Gay Men and Lesbians

1976 NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Chicago, Illinois

Background In this resolution, members of NCTE, like members of a number of other education organizations, declared their opposition to discrimination against individuals on the basis of sexual preference.  Be it therefore Resolution Resolved, whereas lesbians and gay men are now and have always been present in society and members of our profession, both as students and teachers, we the members of the National Council of Teachers of English urge the immediate end of all discrimination against them wherever it may exist, specifically in the hiring and firing practices of our profession, in the textbooks of our discipline, and in our own classroom practices and exchanges with students.  We further urge that NCTE establish an appropriate group charged with both investigating problems faced by lesbian and gay male colleagues and students in the discipline of English and the formulating of recommendations to the Council concerning their welfare in the profession.