Report on homophobia in schools to be launched in Manchester
The Greater Manchester Prevalence of Homophobia Report 2012 will be launched at the city’s Pink Triangle theatre later this month.
The pioneering campaign was launched by local associations of the National Union of Teachers to survey members’ views on levels of homophobia in schools.
The report is also sponsored by SchoolsOUT, the oldest UK teachers’ organisation campaigning against homophobia and transphobia in schools.
A spokesperson for SchoolsOUT said: “The near unanimous voices of over 750 classroom teachers working in Greater Manchester confirm the shocking news that the homophobic abuse of children remains an endemic feature of our increasingly independent schools system.”
The report’s launch will coincide with the world premiere of the Pink Triangle Theatre’s new play SHOW ONE, TOO!, which the organisation says is a resource that schools can adopt to address the dangers of homophobia faced by students and teachers.
Councillor Paul Murphy, Chairman of Greater Manchester Police Authority said: “GMPA is committed to working with the police, local authorities and our partners, including the education sector, together with communities across Greater Manchester to tackle hate crime, which is why we welcome reports like this.
“The findings from the Greater Manchester Schools – Prevalence of Homophobia Survey will help us to strengthen our approach and build on our partnership working so that together we can tackle these issues head on.”
Sue Sanders, National Co-Chair of SchoolsOUT, said in her introduction to the report that it is: “shining a much-needed light into the murky world of homophobic abuse and hate crime in schools.”
The afterword was written by Professor Ian Rivers of Brunel University. Professor Rivers, an expert on the long-term effects of child abuse and advisor to the UK and USA government.
He said he was: “heartened by the fact that the NUT in Greater Manchester has taken steps to monitor this issue among its members and remind us of the need for continued vigilance and intervention.”
“In the past, many headteachers and teachers have felt that acknowledging the existence of bullying in schools was an index of failure, it is not. It is only through acknowledging the issue and addressing it face-on that we can hope to make schools safe places to learn for all young people.”
The launch will take place at 7pm on Thursday 23 August at the Three Minute Theatre in Oldham.
