Memorandum submitted by Schools OUT
1. Schools OUT is the 32-year-old national
LGBT equality organisation in education.
2. Equality does not come through legislation
and regulation alone nor does bullying disappear because it is
recorded and responded to after it happens. It also requires a
change of culture—the culture of our society and, more particularly,
the culture and curriculum of our schools and colleges.
3. The "Five Outcomes" is defined
in the aims and outcomes of Every Child Matters: The Government's
aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances,
to have the support they need to:
— make a positive contribution; and
— achieve economic well-being.
4. They must apply equally to those who
are LGBT as all other children. Such aims seem to us to make such
cultural change imperative if we are to meet the requirements
of the new guidelines. Schools OUT seeks to address issues of
equality and the challenging of bullying, prejudice and discrimination
through both the legislative/regulative and cultural routes as
they mutually reinforce each other.
5. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered
people have been routinely excluded from school and college curricula.
Our lives and achievements are either ignored or distorted into
a false image of who we were/are. From this comes the ignorance
that allows for the stereotyping on which prejudice and negative
discrimination depend.
6. Homophobic bullying is a direct consequence
of this carefully engineered ignorance.
7. All young people believe they "know"
some things about LGBT people. This "truth" is mainly
derived from the stereotyping that abounds in our society and
that is fed by our imposed silence. For those young people who
have to relate to the reality of LGBT people's lives—those
that are LGBT, are questioning their sexuality/gender identity,
are presumed by others to be LGBT or have LGBT family or friends—such
stereotyping and distortion is particularly harmful and may have
dire consequences. However this ignorance diminishes the knowledge
and therefore the understanding of ALL students.
8. We therefore seek:
— government guidance for the creation
of inclusive curricula appropriate to age and ability of students
and both within and outside the National Curriculum;
— training for all teachers and student
teachers in initial teacher training, GTP and other routes to
qualified teacher status on the issues and how to explore these
issues through the curriculum and training for all support staff;
— school and college inspection to
include proper consideration of the inclusivity of the delivered
curriculum as based upon above guidance;
— public support for LGBT staff, students,
parents and governors, as it is frequently from them that good
practice is initiated and developed, and recognition of the positive
role played by those of us who choose to be open about their LGBT
status;
— training on the Employment Regs (Sexual
Orientation) and their full implications for staff, schools, colleges
and local authorities;
— support for schools, colleges and
their staff in developing effective equal opportunity and anti-bullying
policy and practice;
— support for the celebration within
schools, colleges and universities of LGBT History Month which
was instigated by Schools OUT www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk and
— require schools to respond positively
and monitor the development of their work under the Skills and
Learning Act 2000 and the Sex and Relationship Guide 2000 which
make it incumbent on teachers to:
(a) challenge the stigmatisation of lesbian and
gay families in lessons about families, marriage and stable relationships;
(b) give positive information on lesbians, gays
and bisexuals to enable pupils to challenge derogatory stereotypes
and prejudice;
(c) include lesbian, gay and bi sexuality in
lessons on sex education;
(d) record and challenge all forms of homophobic
bullying.
9. We also insist that Ofsted inspectors
include as a meaningful and integral part of their school inspection
all the above and that they are provided with the training to
do it effectively.
10. The recent research by ChildLine and
Wallace of "The Metro"—both on the Schools OUT
website—highlight the importance of the effective and immediate
addressing of these issues by all pupils, parents, teachers, governors,
schools, education authorities and National Government. Each has
a vital role to play. Without work to progress these issues, homophobia
and other forms of prejudice and discriminatory practice will
continue to abound and homophobic bullying will continue from
strength to strength.
11. Schools OUT has a wide range of experience
and knowledge in this field that we wish to see utilised to eradicate
homophobic and all other forms of bullying.
12. We seek to give oral evidence to your
Committee.
Schools OUT will continue to campaign, educate
and lobby on these issues and provide support to LGBT teachers
and any one else who needs it, in eradicating homophobia and institutional
heterosexism.
September 2006
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