Most secondary school counselors recently surveyed in Indiana said they need more assistance from public schools and local communities in helping gay and lesbian students.
Read a summary of the survey, “High School Counselors Say They Lack Skills to Assist Gay, Lesbian Students,” from Ball State University.
The survey of 118 high school and middle school counselors across the state—conducted in 2004 by Ball State University, in Muncie, Ind., and released this month—found that only 14 percent of respondents said they had adequate skills to help such students deal with their problems. Counselors cited a need for better training and educational programs.
In addition, the study found that 51 percent of school counselors in urban areas of the state had referred gay or lesbian students to support groups, compared with just 27 percent in rural communities. Eighty percent of the counselors surveyed reported having to work professionally with gay or lesbian students.
