Tackling homophobic bullying and celebrating difference in primary

schools

Francesca HallSchool Support OfficerStonewall

What is Stonewall?

•At Home: Equal Marriage, Parenting, Health, Sport, Hate Crime, Immigration

•At School: Education for All campaign - Homophobic bullying

•At Work: Workplace equality, Diversity Champions programme

• International: Global workplace equality, supporting communities

Education for All• National campaign tackling homophobia and

homophobic bullying in schools across Britain• Education for All coalition of over 70 organisations• Education Champions• School Champions• College Champions• Work with young people• Resources and guidance• Education for All Conference

Homophobic bullyingin primary schools

• More than two in five primary school teachers say children in their schools experience homophobic bullying

• Seven in ten primary school teachers hear homophobic language in school

• More than eight in ten have had no specific training to prevent and tackle homophobic bullying

Who experiences homophobic bullying?

Children who:

-are thought to be “different” in some way-boys who don’t “act like boys”-boys who don’t play sports-girls who don’t “act like girls”-girls who do play sports-work hard in class or underachieve-aren’t “part of the gang” -have gay family members and friends

ANYONE

What does it look like?

A six year old boy had often showed feminine tendencies, preferring to dress-up in female clothes etc. He would ask to carry my handbag. He always dressed up as a woman during playtime. He became withdrawn and refused to play with others for fear of name calling from others – this continued into the classroom. His mother was asked to come to school and the issue was discussed. The boy is very withdrawn, he is wary of older boys. His behaviour has deteriorated as has his school work. Abigail, teacher, faith primary

school (Wales)Stonewall, The Teachers’ Report (2009)

Mark, eight, explains that because he has gay parents ‘when people say “gay”… I feel worse than other people’.

Stonewall, Different Families (2010)

• Government estimates that 6% of the population is lesbian, gay or bisexual

• Some pupils will have gay family members or same-sex parents

• Not tackling homophobic bullying early on can lead to more serious bullying down the line

Why is this work important?

• Children grow up in many different families. • Pupils should be able to talk about their families. • Pupils should be able to be themselves. • Homophobic bullying is an issue in primary schools

and leads to more serious bullying down the line.• Fear of bullying can stop children from talking

about their families and from doing what they enjoy.

• All children need to be prepared for life in 21 century Britain.

http://nobystanders.org.uk/

Why is this work important?

Why is this work important: the impact later on

• Three in five LGB students at secondary school who experience homophobic bullying state that this has had an impact on their school work

• One in three say that they’ve changed their future educational plans as a result

• Nearly one in four (23 per cent) lesbian,

gay and bisexual young people have tried to take their own life at some point. More than half (56 per cent) of gay young people deliberately harm themselves

Ian, 16, secondary school (South East)

Simon, 14, secondary school (South West)

What’s the impact later on?

‘I feel that I don’t want to carry on in school if this what I have to put up with and hide what I feel all the time’

‘I was a straight A* student. I got 100 per cent in my science exams, I’m really proud of that. But because of bullying my classwork and coursework has suffered, leaving me with a

lower grade, about a C/B’.

•Education and Inspections Act 2006– legal duty on schools to safeguard and promote the welfare of children•The Public Duty of the Equality Act 2010•Government priority•New Ofsted framework

Your duties as a teacher

Barriers What do you think are the main barriers

stopping teachers from addressing homophobic bullying or from talking about

same-sex relationships?

•Faith and cultural beliefs•‘Should we be making a big deal of this?’•‘It’s not an issue at our school’•Parents•‘Children are too young to learn about these things’

Positives

•Nine in ten teachers believe that school staff have a duty to prevent and respond to homophobic bullying•93% of teachers who addressed LGB issues or different families in class received no complaints from parents•95% would do it again

I teach primary age children who use the terms ‘poof’, ‘queer’ etc. when name calling. Emily, teacher, primary school (East Midlands)

At primary level to call another child gay is currently a term of abuse. Jill, teacher, primary school (Yorkshire & the Humber)

Language

• What should a teacher do if a child asks them what ‘lesbian’, ‘gay’ or ‘bisexual’ means? Is it OK to tell them?

• What should you do if a child uses homophobic language? Who should you involve?

• What should you do if a student uses the word ‘gay’ to mean rubbish? Is this just harmless banter?

• It’s OK to explain words to children in an age-appropriate manner

• Ignoring them or saying you can’t tell them won’t help

• All teachers should take a consistent approach to homophobic language, like all other forms of discriminatory language

• Tell children why it’s wrong and how it can be hurtful• If unsure, ask a line manager or senior manager

how the school deals with homophobic behaviour

Best Practice

St Luke’s Primary School, Brighton

•A language code was developed with the help of the ‘E-teams’•The code agreed that the use of the term ‘gay’ as a put down was hurtful and never acceptable•Included how to report incidents of the use of homophobic language

http://nobystanders.org.uk/

An inclusive curriculum which talks about different families:

-makes all children, including those with LGB family and friends, feel included-reflects the lives of all children in your class-helps tackle prejudice and discrimination-helps create an environment of respect-gives children the opportunity to discuss difference in a safe and structured environment

Building an inclusive curriculum

Primary school literature• And Tango Makes Three

• King and King

• Spacegirl Pukes

• The Sissy Duckling

More at www.stonewall.org.uk/primary

Best Practice

Malmesbury Park Primary School, Bournemouth

•Developed a family diversity lesson•Allowed children to discuss similarities and differences•Celebrated difference•Used The Family Book and The Picnic in the Park

Resources

More at the FREE microsite www.stonewallprimary.org.uk

School Champions

• Book onto our flagship Train the Trainer Course• Free pack of Stonewall’s acclaimed resources • Free good practice seminars Priority and

discounted registration for Stonewall conferences

• Access to role model visits• Use of the Stonewall School Champion logo and

now Bronze, Silver and Gold accreditation

More Information

Francesca Hall

School Support Officer

Francesca.hall@stonewall.org.uk

0207 5931881

stonewall.org.uk/educationforall

@stonewalluk

Questions?