In 1958, the National Defense and Education Act (NDEA) was signed, which opened the way for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to become a main focus of schooling in both K-12 and higher education. The NDEA was in response to the launch of the Russian satellite, Sputnik in 1957. With this launch, the space race began. The United States and Russia were already steeped into the cold war between the two countries. Being the first to reach to the moon became a rallying cry as cemented by John F. Kennedy’s moon speech:
“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”
Of course, with this opportunity and push to become the top space agency in the world was an exploding backdrop of civil and human rights. Previous to both Sputnik and NDEA was the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case in Topeka, Kansas, in 1954. It was this case in which the Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 and the “separate but equal” policy. The Brown case removed the “separate but equal” doctrine, and the desegregation of public schools began. However, as is with every civil rights legislative act is an equal and opposite reaction from dissenters. Several schools of color were closed as children of color were bused to White schools. Fast forward to 1958, with the passing of the NDEA, the segregation of schools in the south is still a contentious issue.
Adam Clayton Powell of New York argued in what is known as the Powell Amendment that schools that remained segregated should not receive any of the federal funding outlined in NDEA. This would mean that money for the building of additional schools and for the development of curriculum and staff development around STEM would not go to places where they refused to follow Brown v. Board of Education decision. The amendment was stricken from the NDEA and would have looming affects not just racially but in gender and sexuality as the majority of the benefits for STEM have “traditionally” gone to White cisgender heterosexual men. As a result, there are not only a sparsity of people of color and women in STEM, but also a sparsity of LGBTQIA in STEM.
The ripple effects loom heavily even in 2021 as state legislatures race to ban discussions and teaching of United States history that includes mentioning of how groups such as the LGBTQIA community have been excluded and discriminated against when it comes to opportunities and access to STEM and other areas. STEM as we all know is a gateway for youth to get into top colleges and universities; hence the reason for the push to diversify STEM offerings in schools and access. However, there is a miss when it comes to the LGBTQIA community due to the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and economic status. The ability to actively participate in STEM successfully not only comes down to school offerings but also economic ability to participate in the projects. Furthermore, the aspect of collaboration becomes contentious as members of the LGBTQIA community have to navigate the potential of bullying by classmates, intentional exclusion by their STEM peers, and misidentification for advanced STEM courses by school officials who misdiagnose quietness, independence, and/or creativity as disruptive and disrespectful. The giftedness and resilience on display is viewed as counter to the “traditional” characteristics of a gifted child or adult.
As is the case with other marginalized groups, the LGBTQIA community continues to rally together to form multiple intersecting communities and cultures within the larger community and culture in order to cultivate ways for inclusion and advancement. The 500 Queer Scientists is an example of such a group. This group's goal is to “ensure the next STEM generation has LGBTQ+ role models; help the current generation recognize they’re not alone; create opportunities for community connections and greater visibility within STEM.” The power of such groups is that they are actively working to extend the reach and opportunities for all LGBTQIA individuals and communities. This has the potential of far reaching impacts once LGBTQIA youth become more aware that they are not alone in their pursuit of living out the “American” dream promised in the Declaration of Independence: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
As PRIDE Month comes to an end for 2021, we ask that we spend time exploring the contributions of the LGBTQIA community in STEM by sharing 6 Important LGBTQ Scientist Who Left Their Mark on STEM Fields, for example. As state legislatures attempt to block the teaching of multiple views and representations of history and the advancement of our great nation, it is incumbent upon all of us to do our part to educate the whole experience of each child. We are one DSST network united in the common aim of freedom, liberation, diversity, equity and inclusiveness for all in our STEM focus and other areas, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or lived experience.
In solidarity,
Aaron
