As you may or may not know, West Po is offering a new English elective: LGBTQIA+ Perspectives into Literature. The elective is being taught by Ms.Gervacio and Ms. Wheeler who are both English teachers at West Potomac.

According to Wheeler, the idea was formed by district English teachers about 2 years ago. After analyzing surveys and data from the schools that piloted the program, it was available district-wide for any school interested. West Po is one of the handful of FCPS schools offering the elective. 

The class itself will be a one year course with a less intense curriculum. “Hopefully, it’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Gervacio said. “There’s gonna be a lot of reading, but it’s also going to be a lot of watching films, watching TV, and having discussions.”

The course serves a deeper purpose than having fun, though. “Representation matters…. There’s so many reasons why it’s good to have different perspectives, but the biggest one is representation matters,” Gervacio said. They want this class to be a safe space for members to talk about and explore their identities. 

They also hope it will be a place for allies to learn more about the community. “It’s so easy to get stuck in your bubble, as a person…So [the class] is just a way to broaden one’s horizon,” Gervacio explained.

If you have any questions about the course, Ms. Gervacio and Ms. Wheeler encourage you to ask them questions. You can find them in rooms 722 and 721, respectively.