Public opinion plays a key role in determining what formal and informal protections gay and lesbian teachers have on the job. This study examines 25 years of professional polling data to discern public attitudes regarding lesbians and gay men as elementary, high school, and college teachers. Data from 23 surveys conducted since 1987, covering over 35,000 respondents, is then analyzed to determine how public opinion varies by educational level, year of birth, religion, marital status, region, party identification, sex, and race. Though gay teachers remain controversial, and majority support for elementary school teachers only emerged in the late 1990s, public acceptance has grown steadily, with the growth accelerating in the past decade.
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