A big fat "F" stares back from the grade card Indiana received in the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educators Network (GLSEN) "State of the States 2004" report.

The report surveyed state legislation affecting the welfare of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A generic anti-bullying law for public schools went into effect in Indiana in 2005, too late to bump up the state's failing grade.

Against this background of state-level inattention to gay and transgender students, Monroe County Community School Corp. (MCCSC) distinguished itself last October. The MCCSC board voted unanimously to add "sexual orientation" to corporation-wide nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies protecting students and employees.

That decision "brought all the policies within different school buildings in line with each other," said Mike Shipman, MCCSC director of school operations.

For all anybody knows, MCCSC is the first and only Hoosier school district to take this step. Neither the Indiana Department of Education nor the Indiana School Board Association keeps data on nondiscrimination policies, according to spokespersons for both agencies.

LGBT students and employees in MCCSC now enjoy three overlapping protections: the statewide anti-bullying law and the corporation-wide nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies that explicitly include "sexual orientation."

MCCSC's pro-active work on bullying over the years had already covered virtually all the bases addressed by the statewide law, according to Shipman.

Dan Clark, deputy executive director of Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA), said it's "normal procedure" for ISTA to support teachers who claims sexual-orientation discrimination at work, whether or not the school district's policies explicitly include "sexual orientation."

There seems to be general agreement that students will benefit from the revised policies.

"MCCSC already practiced nondiscrimination, but it's important to see it in words," said board President Sue Wanzer. "It will affect the security, comfort and climate for gay students."

The five gay employees interviewed for this story, identified by pseudonyms, all agree with Wanzer's latter point.

Edward, a Bloomington High School North teacher, thinks explicit inclusion of "sexual orientation" might motivate better reporting of bias incidents to administrators, although he stresses that the environment at North has been "wonderful" for LGBT students and employees for decades.

His colleague Mike, however, points to what he sees as a growing problem.

"I strongly feel that homophobic sentiment is on the increase in high schools," he said. "I graduated in 2000 from a very rural conservative high school, but the homophobia was not nearly as visible as it is now.

"I am disturbed at how today's teens are using 'gay' and 'queer' so forcefully to admonish their friends and peers. Students say I am one of only a few teachers who call attention to such language as being offensive and unacceptable."

He notes a recent survey in which 98 percent of BHSN students said they'd overheard homophobic comments in the hallways.

Public recognition can be a double-edged sword, suggested Wanzer. "Gay kids feel freer to be more visible within MCCSC — which is all to the good. And as a consequence, they can attract more harassment."

All five employees believe that protections for teachers positively affect the students' educational experience.

Gerry, a BHSN staffer, observed, "It's hard to understand how students who identify as gay can feel good about who they are without gay role models who feel safe about being open and out at school."

Edward speculates that the policy change might influence particular teachers who up to now have felt uncomfortable policing anti-gay language or integrating gay studies into their teaching.

But do the policy changes mean MCCSC employees can be openly gay without fear? Opinions vary.

"I've always been very comfortable within MCCSC," said BHSN staffer Anne. "However, that is who I am."

The other interviewees express a more qualified sense of security that's specific to their particular school buildings.

"On a personal level, I feel very safe at BHSS," said Kay, a Bloomington High School South teacher. "But I am going to continue to be cautious in the classroom. I only out myself to students on a need-to-know basis. If they are struggling with an issue or if a class has asked a question that information from my background would help answer, then I tell them. However, this doesn't allow me to be the best teacher I could be because the students sense a dishonesty and mistrust."

The employees see the policy change as an important statement but not an ironclad protection.

Dan Clark, deputy executive director of Indiana State Teachers Association, said it's "normal procedure" for ISTA to support a teacher who claims sexual-orientation discrimination at work, whether or not the district's policies explicitly include "sexual orientation."

ISTA local Uniserve Director Sandy Steele said the new language in MCCSC's policies will only strengthen ISTA's hand.

But both Mike and Gerry refer to the "immorality clause" as a sword of Damocles hanging over gay employees' heads. Among the grounds for cancellation of a teacher's contract listed in Indiana law is the undefined word "immorality."

In her nine years as Uniserv director, Steele said she's never heard of a case of "immorality" being used as a pretext to fire a gay teacher. Nevertheless, tales of such dismissals and of anti-gay blackballing circulate among MCCSC's gay employees.

"Many of my closeted colleagues live in fear of a parent saying, 'I don't want this teacher working with my child,'" said Gerry. "It'll take a long time for teachers to see this policy as meaning they can be openly gay. I don't know which teacher or counselor would want to be the test case."

The vulnerability gay teachers feel is due partly to how their profession is viewed within our culture, said Mike.

"Teachers are akin to Hollywood actors and Washington politicians," he said. "They are 'on the job' 24/7 and are still viewed as a public school teacher after the last dismissal bell rings. There seems to be a consensus that it's 'OK to be gay' as a teacher in Bloomington as long as it's not 'made into a big deal.' What's a 'big deal'? Holding hands with a partner in public?"

"MCCSC's new nondiscrimination policy is important," said Anne. "But the real work is helping people become more tolerant and accepting one person at a time. This is one of those things that policies and laws are not going to provide all the answers for. They will have to come from people. They will also have to come from students and staff telling their stories. We need to be able to talk about these things openly and not be afraid."

Kay agreed: "Until we're seen as an asset for our differences, gay teachers aren't going to be comfortable coming out completely at school."

John Clower can be reached at jclower2@yahoo.com.