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LGBTQ* What The &@#* Moment (In News)
Gay Bullied UK Students Told To “Act Less Gay”
by DAVID BADASH on NOVEMBER 2, 2011
in DISCRIMINATION,INTERNATIONAL,NEWS
Gay students — or students who are perceived to be LGBTQ – are being told to “act less gay,” or to “wear their hair differently,” in theUK’s Essex County, a non-metropolitan area of close to two million mostly white people on the east site of England. A new report, published Tuesday by the Essex County Council, shows that teachers have not been trained to deal with anti-gay harassmentissues, and that students have been instructed to essentially attempt to blend in, in order to not be targets of anti-gay bullying.
“I’ve been bullied and the teachers didn’t do much about it. It’s not that they don’t want to help, they just don’t know how,” one student reported, according to the Halstead Gazette.
The claims were revealed at a conference for more than 250 teachers and pupils. The event, hosted by the county council to tackle issues affecting children, has raised concern over how schools deal with bullying.
A spokesperson from charity Beatbullying said the incident highlight [sic] the “absolute need” for better guidance and support for teachers over how to deal with bullying.
“No-one should need to change how they behave, act or look. It’s about changing the behaviour of those who bully.
“There is a solution; better guidance for teachers and anti-bullying strategies in schools across the country. It’s important to educate both parents and children about bullying too.”
The Anti-Bullying Work publication also revealed teachers received “very little” training around bullying issues.
An Essex County Council spokesperson said they took the claims “very seriously”.
“The Young Essex Assembly held a conference to allow children to talk in an open and constructive environment about bullying within schools.
“All the information and anecdotal evidence gathered at the event will shape the work of the Young Essex Assembly.”
The council added they were currently developing an anti-bullying information pack, which will be given to trainee teachers to “help them cope with this serious issue”.
Towleroad, who broke the story in the U.S., offers the image above, the headline from the UK’s Weekly Standard, via Reddit.
(Personal Note: I think it is VITAL that we realize that many teachers want to help but do not know how, nor are given the resources. This story could have easily come from a school within the USA. However, the UK has far more protection for employees at grade school/high school levels than we do in the USA. Many people I know who are allies do not feel safe saying so in their own schools (I’m speaking about peers who are now teachers) because they feel it could lead to complications with their job and employment.
We must create and educate the teachers as well as the students. As the beginning of the article states, many teachers WANT TO HELP, they just DO NOT KNOW HOW TO HELP. —-Rebecca)](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwgogfO2c41qghfy5o1_500.jpg)
LGBTQ* What The &@#* Moment (In News)
Gay Bullied UK Students Told To “Act Less Gay”
“I’ve been bullied and the teachers didn’t do much about it. It’s not that they don’t want to help, they just don’t know how,” one student reported, according to the Halstead Gazette.
The claims were revealed at a conference for more than 250 teachers and pupils. The event, hosted by the county council to tackle issues affecting children, has raised concern over how schools deal with bullying.
A spokesperson from charity Beatbullying said the incident highlight [sic] the “absolute need” for better guidance and support for teachers over how to deal with bullying.
“No-one should need to change how they behave, act or look. It’s about changing the behaviour of those who bully.
“There is a solution; better guidance for teachers and anti-bullying strategies in schools across the country. It’s important to educate both parents and children about bullying too.”
The Anti-Bullying Work publication also revealed teachers received “very little” training around bullying issues.
An Essex County Council spokesperson said they took the claims “very seriously”.
“The Young Essex Assembly held a conference to allow children to talk in an open and constructive environment about bullying within schools.
“All the information and anecdotal evidence gathered at the event will shape the work of the Young Essex Assembly.”
The council added they were currently developing an anti-bullying information pack, which will be given to trainee teachers to “help them cope with this serious issue”.
Towleroad, who broke the story in the U.S., offers the image above, the headline from the UK’s Weekly Standard, via Reddit.
