|
Don't say mum and dad... teachers
told not to assume pupils have heterosexual parents
LAURA CLARK
UK
Daily Mail
Wednesday January 30, 2008
Teachers should not assume that their pupils have a "mum
and dad" under guidance aimed at tackling anti-gay bullying
in schools.
It says primary pupils as young as four should be familiarised
with the idea of same-sex couples to help combat homophobic attitudes.
Teachers should attempt to avoid assumptions that pupils will
have a conventional family background, it urges.
It goes on to suggest the word "parents" may be more
appropriate than "mum and dad", particularly in letters
and emails to the child's home.
(Article continues below)
When discussing marriage with secondary pupils, teachers should
also educate pupils about civil partnerships and gay adoption
rights.
The guidance - produced for the Government by gay rights group
Stonewall - will be formally launched today by Schools Secretary
Ed Balls.
It states that children who call classmates "gay" should
be treated the same as racists as part of a "zero tolerance"
crackdown on the use of the word as an insult.
Teachers should avoid telling boys to "be a man" or
accuse them of behaving like a "bunch of women".
This sort of rebuke "leads to bullying of those who do not
conform to fixed ideas about gender", the guidance states.
At the same time, schools should encourage gay role models among
staff, parents and governors. Homosexual staff should be able
to discuss their private lives after the consultation with the
head teacher.
In advice to gay staff, it states: "School culture and ethos
determines how open staff are about their private lives, and you
should therefore seek advice and guidance from your head."
The Department for Children, Schools and Families commissioned
Stonewall to write the guidance jointly with lobby group Education
Action Challenging Homophobia.
It says that pupils aged four to seven should "understand
that not all pupils have a mum and a dad" and learn about
different family structures.
Advice to teachers of 11 to 14-year-olds states: "Schools
should make efforts to talk inclusively about same-sex parents,
for example, avoid assuming all pupils will have a "mum and
dad".
"When schools discuss marriage, they may also discuss civil
partnership and adoption rights for gay people."
In a section on engaging with parents, it asks schools: "Do
you talk about 'parents' instead of assuming all pupils have 'mum
or a dad'?"
The advice goes on to urge teachers to challenge every derogatory
use of the word gay to avert homophobic attitudes.
Examples include "those trainers are so gay", "that
pencil case is so gay" or "you're such a gay boy".
Full
article here.
|
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
|
|
