A new survey found that less than half of American school district leaders support LGB teachers coming out their students and colleagues.

The survey, Educator Political Perceptions, was published last week by the Education Week Research Center. Researchers polled a nationally representative sample of 1,122 K-12 teachers, school employees and district leaders about a range of issues, including whether it's appropriate for queer teachers to be out to their students and colleagues.

Among those polled, 47% said they "completely support" teachers coming out to students and colleagues, 8% said they were "somewhat opposed," and another 8% said they "somewhat support" it. More than a quarter (27%) said they "neither support nor oppose" LGB teachers disclosing their sexual orientation at school, while 10% said they "completely opposed" the idea.

Because the U.S. still lacks federal anti-discrimination protections, it's not uncommon for teachers to be fired for coming out. Earlier this year we reported on a Kentucky teacher who found himself unemployed after coming out as bisexual to provide at-risk LGBT students with desperately-needed queer visibility; last year we reported on a gay man who sued one of New York City’s most prestigious private grade schools, claiming he was fired due to homophobia.

While not being able to come out at work can affect LGBT people's mental health and wellbeing across industries, forbidding teachers to be out at work can also have a negative impact on their LGBT students, who may not have access to other queer role models in real life.

“LGBTQ people are part of our social fabric and they are part of our school communities, both as students and educators," Emily Greytak, Director of Research at GLSEN, a national organization that aims to make schools inclusive for LGBT students, tells NewNowNext. "And when LGBTQ students see themselves reflected in an educator it can significantly transform their ideas about possibilities for themselves, and provide them with an outlet for support."

The Education Week survey noted a significant difference between the opinions of teachers and school and district leaders when it comes to being out at school: While less than half (47%) of district leaders and just over half (54%) of school leaders support LGBT teachers being out at work, a full 60% of teachers said they did. Unfortunately, decisions about whether teachers can safely come out at work are ultimately made by district and school leaders.

"We should encourage both students and educators to show up to the classroom as their full selves," Greytak says. "Diversity among faculty is a good thing. When schools have a diverse faculty, their students benefit from a growing appreciation and respect for different perspectives and people.”