Teachers lack training to tackle homophobic bullying
Children & Young People Now
article available at: www.cypnow.co.uk
The government needs to do more to support the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teachers, an expert has said after a major survey revealed widespread homophobic bullying in schools.
A survey by YouGov for the charity Stonewall found that nine in 10 teachers had not received training about homophobic bullying in schools.
Sue Sanders, co-chair of LGBT organisation Schools Out, said: "The Department for Children, Schools and Families has yet to deliver appropriate training for all equalities, particularly on LGBT issues. It's ironic that professionals within the criminal justice system do get this training but teachers don't."
She added: "The Department for Children, Schools and Families also needs to be much more proactive in supporting and celebrating LGBT teachers. There is nowhere near enough publicity about LGBT teachers' rights in schools."
The Stonewall survey also found that:
- Nine in 10 secondary school teachers and two in five primary school teachers say pupils experience homophobic bullying, even if they're not gay
- Teachers say homophobic bullying is the most prevalent form of bullying after bullying because of weight
- Only a quarter of primary school teachers have addressed sexual orientation in the classroom.
Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, said: "This survey reveals how much remains to be done by our schools to demonstrate to all pupils that homophobic bullying is unacceptable."
YouGov surveyed 2,043 teachers for the report.