Homophobic Bullying
Safer School Partnership Officers
Primary School Teachers
In 2009 Stonewall surveyed over 2,000 teachers and non-teaching staff from primary and secondary school across Great Britain. The survey asked staff about their experiences of homophobic bullying in schools and the inclusion of lesbian, gay and bisexual issues in the classroom. The results were published in The Teachers' Report and suggest that 2 in 5 primary school teachers have witnessed children being subjected to homophobic bullying in their schools.
Homophobic language and behaviour should not go unchallenged. In fact, schools have a statutory duty to tackle all forms of bullying, whether it"s racist, homophobic or sexist, and are covered by the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007. Homophobic bullying can affect anyone perceived to be different and those with gay parents, friends or family members and it does not only start in secondary school.
Section 28 of the 1998 Local Government Act never applied to schools and was repealed in 2003, so teachers are free to discuss homophobia with their students in the classroom. In England and Wales, state schools have a duty of care, according to the Children Act 1989 to ensure their safety and to protect the emotional well-being of every person in their care. By taking active steps to tackle all forms of bullying teachers can bring their schools one step closer to achieving the objectives and the outcomes of Every Child Matters. Homophobic bullying should be addressed whenever it occurs and can easily be integrated as part of the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL).
SSchools should make sure that homophobic attitudes do not go unchallenged⬝ OFSTED.
Stonewall has produced guidance and published a number of reports as well as other awareness raising and training materials around the issue of homophobic bullying. Please click here for more information and to order resources.
⬢ For more information you can also call Stonewall"s Info Line 08000 50 20 20
Stonewall"s research The School Report revealed that almost two thirds of young lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils have experienced direct bullying. However, homophobic bullying does not just affect young lesbian, gay and bisexual people; it can affect anyone perceived as different. Stonewall"s research The Teachers' Report is based on a survey of over 2,000 primary and secondary teachers and non-teaching staff from schools across Britain. The survey asked staff about their experiences of homophobic bullying in school and the inclusion of lesbian, gay and bisexual issues in the classroom. The responses revealed that homophobic bullying is the second most frequent form of bully (happening very often" or often") after bullying because of weight and three times more prevalent than bullying due to religion or ethnicity.
The report shows that nine in ten secondary school teachers have witnessed children being subjected to homophobic bullying in their schools. Moreover, the vast majority of these homophobic incidents go unreported, with teachers lacking the support and confidence necessary to provide support and advice. Shockingly, nine in ten teachers said that they have never received training on how to prevent and respond to homophobic bullying.
Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act never applied to schools and has now been repealed; teachers are free to discuss homophobia with their students in the classroom. In England and Wales, state schools have a duty of care, according to the Children Act 1989 to ensure the safety and to protect the emotional well-being of every person in their care. As such, head teachers are required to develop policies and procedures to prevent all forms of harassment (Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998). In Scotland schools must have an annual plan to encourage equal opportunities according to the Standard Schools Act 2000, and all pupils should benefit from education (National Priorities in School Education [Scotland]). They should learn respect for self, one another and their neighbourhood and society.
Schools have a statutory duty to tackle all forms of bullying, whether it"s racist, homophobic, or sexist. What"s more, schools are now covered by the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, so it"s unlawful for them to treat a student less favorably because they are gay or lesbian or because they are associated with someone who is. The School Report revealed that the consequences of homophobic bullying for pupils include:
- Increased truancy rates
- An increase in self harm and suicide by young people
- Lower educational attainment
- Damage to a young persons self esteem
- Profound feelings of isolation
Stonewall has produced guidance and published a number of reports including recommendations as well as other awareness raising and training materials around the issue of homophobic bullying. Please click here for more information and to order resources.
⬢ For more information you can also call Stonewall"s Info Line 08000 50 20 20
Homophobia and homophobic bullying are serious issues for all those involved with young people, their welfare and their education, irrespective of whether the young person is straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans, as anyone perceived as different can become a target. Homophobic bullying can take different forms; for example, it can be physical, psychological or verbal. Bullying of this kind can be very distressing for young people, and can severely affect an individual"s confidence, well being and happiness. It is therefore important that any child or young person feels that, regardless of their sexual orientation, they have someone to turn to if they are being bullied, and that they feel included and valued at all times.
Even if young people do not experience direct bulling, they are often in an environment where homophobic language and comments are commonplace. Ninety eight percent of young gay people have heard the phrase that"s so gay" or you"re so gay" in school, and over four fifths hear such comments often or frequently (The School Report 2007).
As a youth worker, you can make sure that your youth group is a space where everyone feels welcome and we can help you achieve that. Stonewall"s Youth Volunteering Programme is open to all young people regardless of sexual orientation and puts young people at the heart of the campaign against homophobic bullying in schools, colleges and local communities. For more information click here.
Stonewall has also produced guidance and published a number of reports including recommendations as well as other awareness raising and training materials around the issue of homophobic bullying. Please click here for more information and to order resources.
⬢ For more information you can also call Stonewall"s Info Line 08000 50 20 20
Homophobia and homophobic bullying are serious issues for all those involved with young people, their welfare and their education. Anyone perceived as different can become a target of homophobic bullying. Homophobic bullying can take different forms; for example, it can be physical, psychological or verbal. Bullying of this kind can be very distressing for young people, and can severely affect an individual"s confidence, well being and happiness. It is therefore important that any child or young person feels that, regardless of their sexual orientation, they have someone to turn to if they are being bullied, and that they feel included and valued at all times.
Young people often find it difficult to talk about being homophobically bullied. As such, one of the most important things you can do is be there to listen, letting your child know that you respect, value and support them regardless of their sexual orientation. You should not assume that your child is lesbian, gay or bisexual because they are being homophobically bullied, and although you may find it difficult to talk to them, this should not be a reason to ignore the issue if you suspect that your child is being bullied. There are laws and procedures in place which you can use to take action if your child"s school refuses to tackle homophobic bullying.
Schools have a statutory duty to tackle all forms of bullying, whether it"s racist, homophobic, or sexist. What"s more, schools are now covered by the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, so it"s unlawful for them to treat a student less favorably because they are gay or lesbian or because they are associated with someone who is - such as a parent. However, as Stonewall"s research The School Report has found, homophobic bullying is almost endemic in Britain"s schools.
If your child is being bullied, you could consider taking some resources to the school to highlight ways in which to tackle bullying, or perhaps refer to the guidance Stonewall was commissioned to write for the Department of Children, School and Families (DCSF) on how to prevent and tackle homophobic bullying. Furthermore, you could suggest staff to watch Stonewall"s Spell It Out teacher training DVD.
Any young person interested in leading a campaign against homophobic bullying in their school or local community can also join Stonewall"s Youth Volunteering Programme.
These resources as well as other awareness raising and training materials around the issue of homophobic bullying can be found on our resources page.
⬢ For more information you can also call Stonewall"s Info Line 08000 50 20 20 or visit www.besomeonetotell.org.uk
If your child is being bullied but you feel the school does not take the appropriate action, there"s a procedure you need to follow. You should first talk to the head teacher but if this is unsuccessful you"ll need to take your complaint to the school governors for further investigation. The school should make the governors" details available to you.
If the school still won"t take action, then you can approach your Local Education Authority with your concern and you might want to find out if they are part of Stonewall"s Education Champions scheme. Finally, if you exhaust these avenues, you can complain in writing to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families or consider contacting Ofsted.
Additionally there are some services for young people who are experiencing homophobic bullying. The Anti-Bullying Alliance or organisations such as EACH can offer your child some extra support. In our link section you will find other relevant organisations.
In 2008 Stonewall surveyed over 2,000 primary and secondary teachers and non-teaching schools staff across Britain. The survey asked staff about their experiences of homophobic bullying in schools and the inclusion of lesbian, gay and bisexual issues in the classroom. The results are published in The Teachers' Report which shows that 9 in 10 secondary school teachers and more that 2 in 5 primary school teachers have witnessed children being subjected to homophobic bullying in their schools. Teachers also say that homophobic bullying is the second most frequent form of bullying (happening very often" or often") after bullying because of weight and three times more prevalent than bullying due to religion or ethnicity.
Homophobic bullying does not just affect young lesbian, gay and bisexual people but can affect anyone who is perceived to be different, regardless of their actual sexual orientation. The Teachers' Report reveals that the vast majority of these homophobic incidents go unreported, with teachers lacking the support and confidence necessary to provide support and advice. Shockingly, nine in ten teachers say they have never received training on how to prevent and respond to homophobic bullying.
Stonewall"s research The School Report revealed that the consequences of homophobic bullying for pupils include:
- Increased truancy rates
- An increase in self harm and suicide by young people
- Lower educational attainment
- Damage to a young persons self esteem
- Profound feelings of isolation
As such local authorities have an important role to play in addressing homophobia and homophobic bullying. They provide a guiding role for their schools, bring them together to share good practice and take the lead in disseminating information to assist their schools in addressing homophobic bullying.
Tackling homophobic bullying in school doesn"t have to be difficult. Stonewall"s Education Champions is a programme for local authorities which provides bespoke support and guidance and enables them to assist their local schools in tackling homophobia and homophobic bullying.
Stonewall has produced guidance and published a number of reports including recommendations as well as other awareness raising and training materials around the issue of homophobic bullying. Please click here for more information and to order resources.
⬢ For more information you can also call Stonewall"s Info Line 08000 50 20 20
Homophobic bullying does not just affect young lesbian, gay and bisexual people but anyone perceived as different can be a target. It can affect young people with gay parents, friends or family members, young people merely perceived to be gay, and anyone who is seen to be different can be subjected to homophobic bullying.
If you are being homophobically bullied or know of someone who is, you should
- tell someone, a teacher, a parent or a friend
- ask your school to take action
- get support from organisations like EACH or call Stonewall for more information 08000 50 20 20
If you would like to tackle homophobic bullying in your own school or local community you can join our Youth Volunteering Programme which will help you to start your own campaign, big or small. You can also get hold of our Some people are gay, get over it and other materials to use in your school.
Stonewall has produced guidance and published a number of reports including recommendations as well as other awareness raising and training materials around the issue of homophobic bullying. Please click here for more information and to order resources.
⬢ For more information you can also call Stonewall"s Info Line 08000 50 20 20
Safer School Partnership Officers are in a unique position to
⬢ support the school in the effort to prevent and tackle homophobic bullying
⬢ signpost school staff and students to resources about homophobic bullying
⬢ support LGB young people and those who are being homophobically bullied.
