University of Wisconsin–Madison
Most Wisconsin schools protect students from discrimination against everything but this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 13, 2025 By Natalie Eilbert A study of Wisconsin school board policies has found that nearly all districts have policies protecting students from discrimination based on sexual orientation and the vast majority protect students from discrimination based on gender identity. But …
Educational Policy (2023) Authors: Mollie T. McQuillan Abstract: As policy debates concerning LGBTQ+ students and staff continue across the American education system, there is not a clear description of the prevalence of local policy protections, even in states with legislative mandates, nor a strong understanding of how to expand reform initiatives. After conducting a document analysis …
Journal of School Leadership (2023) Authors: Mollie T. McQuillan, Erin K. Gill, and Xue Gong Abstract: PK-12 leaders use gender- and sexuality-inclusivity professional development (IPD) as a tool to improve the school climate for LGBTQ+ students, but IPD programs vary widely in their scope, breadth, duration, instructional approach, and content. In this paper, we present the …
Equity and Excellence in Education (2024) Authors: Mario I. Suárez, Harper B. Keenan, Christina Cook. Mollie T. McQuillan, Lee Iskander, Bishop Owis, Daniel Gallardo-Zamora, and Christy Glass Abstract: In this study, we use data from a sample of 296 trans PK-12 school workers in the United States and Canada to consider the impact of union membership …
Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education (2024) Authors: Lee Iskander, Harper Keenan, Mollie McQuillan, Mario Suarez, Bishop Owis, Christina Cook, and Daniel Gallardo Abstract: This article explores how trans school employees redeploy, trouble, challenge, and refuse prevalent discourses about transness and education. Drawing from interviews with 100 school workers in Canada and the …
Educational Administration Quarterly (2024) Authors: Mollie McQuillan and Cris Mayo Abstract: If PK12 administrators aspire to interrupt bias-based bullying, they need to understand their role in perpetuating structural and social inequality. The purpose of this study was to examine administrators’: 1) awareness of gender-based bullying, 2) initial intentions to address bullying, and 3) actions that …
Educational Policy (2024) Authors: Mollie McQuillan, Benjamin Lebovitz, and LaShanda Harbin Abstract: Since 2017, hostile anti-LGBTQ+ educational bills rapidly expanded. Using traditional and critical policy analysis across three Midwestern states, we examine (1) whether state and local policymakers (n = 60) adopted trans-inclusive protections aligned with the 2017 federal Whitaker ruling, (2) the spread and scope of state and local educational …
Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education (2025) Authors: Bishop Owis, Harper Keenan, Lee Iskander, Mario Suárez, Mollie McQuillan, Christina Cook, and Daniel Gallardo Abstract: Although transgender people are increasingly visible in mainstream North America, trans teachers are without adequate resources or protections to support their employment in schools. Legislation in both Canada and the …
Teachers College Record (2024) Authors: Mollie McQuillan, Lee Iskander, Mario Suárez, and Harper Keenan Abstract: While trans adults in the U.S. and Canada report higher levels of discrimination and harassment than cisgender adults, but the existing literature lacks comprehensive descriptions of trans school workers’ believes about what would improve working conditions, satisfaction, and safety. We interrogate …
American Educational Research Journal (2025) Authors: Mollie McQuillan, Janel Anderson, and Lydia Gandy-Fastovich Abstract: PK–12 district-level administrators have been asked to navigate an increasingly complex policy landscape concerning gender-diversity reforms. We apply sensemaking theory to examine administrators’ understanding of legal and policy protections for trans and gender diverse (TGD) students. Using 36 interviews with administrators and …