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Tag: Bullying

All the latest news about Bullying and anti-bullying campaigns.

  • Scottish Father to walk 96 miles to tackle homophobia in schools

    Scottish Father to walk 96 miles to tackle homophobia in schools

    A Scottish Father has kick-started a fundraiser in support of tackling homophobia in schools, as he tells of his fears for his son’s future within the education system.

    Neil

     

    Glasgow resident Neil Dallimore, 33, plans to walk 96 miles along the West Highland Way – from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish highlands – and is seeking public donations for his efforts, in order to raise funds for campaign group Time for Inclusive Education (TIE).

    TIE are calling for LGBTI issues to be taught in all Scottish schools in an effort to tackle high rates of mental health, self harm and suicide amongst LGBTI young people.

    Dallimore has an 11 year old son who recently told him that he was gay but asked for it be kept a secret from his school teachers because he feared that he would be “treated differently”.

    He said,

    “To hear your child ask that a part of his identity not be known to elders that are there to educate, protect and support him is a gut punch. His reason was simple enough – another boy had been open about his sexuality last year and afterward the teachers treated him differently in a negative way.

    Too often I hear stories from my kids about how they’ve either been the target of or personally witnessed homophobic bullying and it’s a problem that few teachers have seemed to know how to handle. It’s worrying and upsetting to see your child treated like an outsider by other children based on sexuality and it must change.”

    Despite it being 16 years since Section 28 was repealed in Scotland, there has been little progress towards eradicating homophobia in the playground. Now, Dallimore intends to address this head-on by supporting TIE’s calls for LGBTI inclusion within schools.

    He said,

    “What TIE are doing that gives me hope, is making sure that – if nothing else – when children go to school, no matter who they are, no matter what they hear hateful people say, they will have an enlightened place, a safe place and they will know that they are equal, natural and loved.”

    During this year’s parliamentary election, every major political party had included manifesto commitments endorsing TIE’s calls for teachers from all schools to received specific training on how to challenge homophobia and discuss LGBTI issues in the classroom.

    First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – who has described herself as a “huge supporter” of the group – restated her pledge to work with the campaigners during a parliamentary debate on LGBTI equality last month.

     

    This article is by Time For Inclusive Education

  • Catholic Church in Scotland speaks in support of tackling homophobia in schools

    The Scottish Catholic Church has indicated that they are keen to tackle homophobia in schools.

    The Catholic Church in Scotland have spoken in support of dealing with homophobia in the classroom according to campaign group Time For Inclusive Education (TIE).

    TIE have been campaigning to introduce teacher training in Scottish classrooms to deal with and tackle homophobia in schools. The campaign has received the support of a host of cross party politicians; including Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie, co-convener of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie and Conservative MSP Oliver Mundell.

     

    ALSO READ: Interview with the co-founders of TIE

     

    Speaking with the Sunday Herald this weekend, a spokeswoman from the Catholic Church in Scotland responded to the campaign’s calls, stating,

    “The Church is working with the Catholic Head Teacher association to ensure that all teachers have adequate knowledge, understanding and training and feel confident in addressing all aspects of relationships education, including LGBTI matters, in an appropriate and sensitive way.”

    Last month, party leaders pledged swift action on the group’s calls for LGBTI inclusive education during a parliamentary debate on which steps should be taken to advance equality following the Orlando massacre in June which left 49 dead and 53 others injured.

    During the session, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has publicly supported the TIE campaign, restated her pledge to work with the campaigners during her term in government.

    She said,

    “I don’t want to live in a country, yet alone be First Minister of a country, where any young person has to feel that, somehow, because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, they are subject to judgement or made to feel in any way less than any other individual in our society. I have given a commitment to working with the campaign for inclusive education.”

  • Gok Wan | Tackle homophobic bullying in the playground

    Gok Wan | Tackle homophobic bullying in the playground

    Designer, cook and TV presenter Gok Wan has spoken out in support of LGBT young people, ahead of his keynote speech this Friday 8 July in London at lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality Stonewall’s Education for All Conference.

    CREDIT: Rixie / BigStock
    CREDIT: Rixie / BigStock

     

    Gok Wan said,

    “It’s so important for all of us to do everything we can to help prevent and tackle prejudice and discrimination – and we know that this sort of behaviour starts in the playground. Bullying is never acceptable, but making people feel threatened and alienated because of who they are and what makes them different is heart breaking.

    “We need to teach young people that this is not the way to behave and encourage them and in fact all people to understand that what’s ‘banter’ to some can be deeply hurtful to others. For us to get this right in schools, it’s vital that we recognise the role that teachers have to play, and ensure that they have adequate training to deal with this as it arises.

    “Stonewall is doing just that – which is why I am a proud supporter of the work it does. Whether you’re LGBT or not, we all have a role to play in standing up against hate, which recent events have taught us now more than ever before”.

    Stonewall’s annual Education for All conference, kindly supported by Prudential, is Britain’s leading event on preventing and tackling homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying among young people.

    It brings together hundreds of education professionals through a series of panel discussions and interactive workshop as well as a dedicated youth stream for 150 young people.

    Yvette Cooper MP, mental health campaigner Johnny Benjamin, Muslim drag queen Asifa Lahore, trans activist Fox Fisher, Maria Munir, Juno Roche and Leo Waddell (from documentary I Am Leo) are amongst other speakers at the conference this year.

  • Could homophbia in Scottish schools be a thing of the past?

    Could homophbia in Scottish schools be a thing of the past?

    The campaigning group Time For Inclusive Education has announced a new training scheme today (22 June), as they step up their efforts to end homophobia in Scottish schools.

    Supplied by TIE
    In the week marking sixteen years since the repeal of Section 28 (Clause 2A in Scotland), which banned the discussion of homosexuality in schools, the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign have outlined their plans to train school staff on LGBTI issues.

    The scheme will pilot with two free to attend training days in Glasgow and Edinburgh in October, and will be centred around how teachers can tackle homophobic attitudes and discuss LGBTI issues with their pupils in primary, secondary and additional support needs education.

    The course has been created by TIE campaigners and teachers, including John Naples-Campbell, Scott Mowat and Danielle Campbell, who have each been recognised and awarded for their work on equalities education in schools.

    The move marks the first time that a training course which is specific to LGBTI issues has been available to educators free of charge and is inclusive of the additional support needs sector.

    TIE emphasised that the decision to organise training has been the result of working with schools, teachers and young people for the past year, and has been created as a response to the “systematic barriers” which prevent teachers from accessing training.

    A TIE spokesperson said,

    “For a year now, we have been campaigning for the Scottish Government to ensure that all schools are inclusive of LGBTI identities, and while we have considerable political support for our cause – we have encountered some worrying trends which must be addressed immediately. Despite being sixteen years since Clause 2a was repealed, we are still seeing it’s impact in schools across the country. Indeed, we have met teachers who still think that the clause is in place, and we cannot wait for political change before taking steps to rectify this.”

    “Also, as a result of cuts to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) budgets, many schools are struggling to cover the costs of training their staff on LGBTI issues. This is why we have ensured that our course will remain free of charge and will be held out of school hours on Saturdays. Our events are a response to the systematic barriers which prevent schools from becoming inclusive of LGBTI young people, and we would encourage all teaching staff – whether probationary, trainee or currently practicing – to attend in October.”

    Attendees at the training course in Glasgow will be welcomed with speeches from human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie and the Very Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

    The training courses will be held on the 1st October in Glasgow, and 8th October in Edinburgh.

    The announcement comes after party leaders pledged swift action on TIE’s calls for LGBTI inclusive education last week during a Holyrood debate on the Orlando shootings.

    The campaign has received support from figureheads including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie, Harry Potter actress Emma Thompson and gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

     

    This aritcle was written by TIE Campaign follow them on Twitter

  • Scottish Greens Back Calls For LGBT Inclusivity Training In Schools

    The Scottish Green Party have announced their support for LGBT+ inclusive education in schools.

    CREDIT: Edinburgh Greens : CC Flickr

    The Scottish Greens have backed a campaign by Time For Inclusive Education (TIE) which aims to introduce teacher training in LGBT+ inclusivity for Scottish schools in an effort to tackle homophobia and transphobia in the classroom.

    The campaign which has been founded by Jordan Daly and Liam Stevenson has already been praised by Scotland’s First Minster Nicola Sturgeon who last week said,

    “I think what Time for Inclusive Education are doing is impressive and I hope that whoever forms the next Scottish Government will work with them, as we will.”

     

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    Speaking about TIE in an interview with Common Space, co-convener of the Scottish Greens Patrick Harvie said:

    “During the next session of the Scottish Parliament we have to see real progress. We wouldn’t even be in that position, of understanding how that progress had to happen, if it hadn’t been for the TIE campaign getting the ball rolling. It really is inspiring, the work they have done.”

    The comment comes following an upsurge in national debate around the topic of LGBT+ inclusive education as a result of TIE, which recently saw Nicola Sturgeon state that she was impressed by the campaigners, and committed to working with them within the next parliament as she admitted that “more has to be done” on LGBT+ inclusion within education.

    Commenting on the news, a spokesperson for TIE stated:

    “It is fantastic to gather more political support for our campaign. We are pleased that the Scottish Greens have adopted our aims and committed to a clear strategy for tackling LGBT-phobia in schools. With the amount of positivity coming from Scottish political parties around this issue, the next parliament looks to be very progressive on LGBT+ equality – particularly focussed on inclusive education.”

    The Scottish Greens are the second major political party to support the campaign, following the unanimous passing of a motion in support of TIE by SNP members at the party’s spring conference earlier this month, which committed the SNP to creating an education system that is fully inclusive of LGBT+ identities and relationships within the next parliament, in order to promote a “safe, equal and accepting environment for all of Scotland’s young people”.

    All party leaders, with the exception of UKIP’s David Coburn, have agreed with TIE’s calls for a commitment to improving accessibility to LGBT+ specific teacher training, with Patrick Harvie specifically highlighting that faith schools must not be exempt from any strategy proposals.

  • LGBT Inclusion In Scottish Schools Is Important For Nicola Sturgeon

    LGBT Inclusion In Scottish Schools Is Important For Nicola Sturgeon

    Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stated that she will work with campaigners from TIE (Time for Inclusive Education) as she accepts that there is still “more to be done” to tackle homophobia in schools.

    Nicola Sturgeon
    CREDIT: Scottish Government images

    Sturgeon’s vow came as she set out her proposals to ensure that a “leap forward” is made for LGBT+ rights over the next Scottish parliament. At an LGBT+ hustings on Thursday evening (31/03), attended by all party leaders, Sturgeon praised the “impressive” work of TIE and urged whichever party forms the next Scottish government to work with the campaigners.

    She stated:

     “At our conference, we had a moving debate and passed a motion in favour of inclusive education. I think what Time for Inclusive Education are doing is impressive and I hope that whoever forms the next Scottish Government will work with them, as we will.”

    The move follows the unanimous passing of a motion in support of TIE by SNP members at the party’s spring conference earlier this month, which committed the SNP to creating an education system that is fully inclusive of LGBT+ identities and relationships within the next parliament, in order to promote a “safe, equal and accepting environment for all of Scotland’s young people”.

    The topic of inclusive education has been propelled by TIE’s campaigners over the past year and Sturgeon’s support marks a significant turning point for the movement, coming just hours after the campaign argued that the SNP’s proposals for achieving LGBT+ inclusive education must go further.

    Earlier in the evening, Sturgeon announced the SNP’s strategy, which included a focus on providing equality training for new, guidance and promoted teachers “so they are confident in tackling prejudice-based bullying”, and ensuring that “all children and young people learn tolerance, respect, human rights” to prevent prejudice and discrimination.

    However, TIE’s campaigners argued that the strategy announcement did not go far enough, claiming that LGBT+ specific teacher training is required, stressing that “the next strategy to tackle homophobia has to be the right one”.

    Commenting on the news of the First Minister’s support, a spokesperson for TIE stated: 

    “We are pleased that Nicola has agreed to work with us and we welcome her support. Her party’s current proposals do not go far enough and it is vital that the next strategy to tackle LGBT-phobia in Scottish schools is the right one – for too long we have dealt with a Section 28 hangover, the next Scottish Government must tackle this properly. We are happy to work with the SNP, and all other parties within the next parliament to ensure that our education system is inclusive of LGBT+ identities.”

    All party leaders agreed with TIE’s calls for a commitment to improving accessibility to LGBT+ specific teacher training, with co-convener of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie highlighting that faith schools must not be exempt from any strategy proposals.

    Support for TIE’s movement for LGBT+ inclusive education has continued to grow, with Harry Potter actress Emma Thompson being the latest celebrity to endorse the campaign and call for an end to homophobia in Scottish schools.

    Sturgeon later stated that: 

    “We must show leadership and courage in supporting LGBT+ equality. We have to have guts and lead by example.”

  • The Scottish Are Getting Real About LGBT+ Teacher Training

    The Scottish are taking matters into their own hands. The TIE (Time for Inclusive Education) campaign has launched a crowd-funding appeal today, to raise money to send Scottish schools teachers on training courses that will allow them to tackle homophobia within their schools.

    Since the campaign’s launch last June, TIE campaigners have continually called for inclusive LGBT+ education to be commonplace across all schools in Scotland, and have highlighted teacher training as a key method in achieving this.

    Last month the Scottish Parliament rejected a call to include LGBTI+ education in Scottish schools.

    Figures show that 1 in 4 LGBT+ youth in Scotland’s schools have attempted suicide and over half are deliberately and regularly self harming as a result of bullying. Despite this, a cross party parliamentary committee recently closed a petition for LGBT+ education in schools that had been submitted by TIE.

    Co-founder Jordan Daly said:

    “As a result of budget cuts, most schools do not have the funding available to send their teachers on the LGBT+ inclusive training programmes that are on offer. The government’s current strategy to tackle LGBT-phobia within schools does not go far enough, and that is why we are now directly stepping in to raise as much money as we can to ensure that teachers are being properly trained. We are appealing to anyone who believes in equality to back this important initiative.”

     

    Campaigners have set a minimum target of £5000, which will allow them to train a considerable number of school teachers from across the country by sending them to Stonewall Scotland’s Train the Trainer course.

    The cost of training one teacher is £120, with attendees being trained to return to their establishments as trainers for other staff.

    Secondary school teacher and TIE campaigner, John Naples-Campbell (34), stated: “Some staff lack training and awareness of the resources available in order to support their pupils. Funding this training will ensure that more staff delivering the curriculum will have access to these resources, in order to provide a secure, nurturing and engaging learning environment fit for the twenty first century.”

    TIE has continued to attract support, with notable backers including rugby referee Nigel Owens and MSPs Patrick Harvie and Jean Urquhart.

    Most recently, public sector trade union UNISON voted unanimously to back the campaign at it’s Scottish council conference on the 6th February. Delegates pledged their continued support, and the council gave a £1000 donation – which is already being used to pay for some teachers to attend upcoming training courses.

    Co-founder Liam Stevenson (37) commented:

    “We quickly identified that teacher training was going to be a key part of any strategy to tackle issues of LGBT-phobia within our schools and, already, with a small amount of funding and in less than a week – we have three teachers attending the Train the Trainer programme in March. We are currently in talks with more schools, and with the support of the public via our crowd funder, we can do much more.”

     

    You can pledge a donation to TIE and help them to train school teachers at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/tiecampaign

  • Janet Devlin Hits Out On Cyber Bullies

    Janet Devlin Hits Out On Cyber Bullies

    X Factor star Janet Devlin has hit out at cyber bullies including Lord Sugar for “mean tweets”.

    Teaming up with anti-bullying charity Ditch The Label to tackle bullying, Janet Devlin has revealed that she still gets trolled on social media. When asked which she thought was worst, cyber or real life bullying, she told THEGAYUK, whilst promoting her new EP December Daze that potentially Internet bullying could cause more harm.

    She said,
    “If you get hurt physically it’s easier to brush off because you know bruises fade, but Internet bullying is a totally different kettle of fish.
    “People think, ‘oh you’ve been bullied online why don’t you just shut off your computer, why don’t you just step away from the Internet’, but no, that doesn’t work that way, what people say to you works its way into your head.”

    Janet Devlin was most notably trolled by Apprentice boss, Lord Sugar during her time on the X FACTOR in 2011.

    She said,
    “I even had mean tweets coming in from bloody Alan Sugar – or Lord Sugar,
    “what does that show – money can’t buy happiness if you’re giving abuse to a 16-year-old girl on the Internet – why would you do it – you know?”

    Read Janet Devlin’s full interview in Issue 17 of THEGAYUK.
    If you are affected by issues raised in this article you can reach out to Ditch The Label or Switchboard by calling: 0300 330 0630.

  • Hot Cop Goes Hot Pink For Anti-Bullying Campaign

    Toronto police officer Luke Watson’s desire to see an end to anti-LGBTQ bullying burns with a hot pink intensity.

    To mark ‘Day of Pink’ on April 8th an international day against “bullying, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and transmisogyny across the world,” Watson dyed his hair pink and pledged to keep it that way for an entire week if the Twitter photo of his new ‘do was retweeted 1,000 times. It reached 3000 within the day and is now going viral viral.

    Please pass on to any members of HM’s Constabulary who are also looking for ideas on how to show their support too. Especially the hot ones!

    by Roger Walker-Dack

  • £2 Million Awards Announced From Homophobic Bullying Fund

    Funds awarded to projects to train school staff and provide support for pupils affected by homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

    Stonewall awarded nearly half million pounds of the £2million total.

    Minister for Women and Equalities Jo Swinson, said, “It’s good news that schools are making progress on homophobic bullying

    Today eight organisations will be told they are to get a share of £2 million to help prevent and eradicate homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying. The funding was announced by Jo Swinson, Minister for Women and Equalities, and Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, in October 2014.

    Homophobic bullying in schools is decreasing: 55 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people surveyed for Stonewall’s 2012 School Report said they had experienced homophobic bullying, down from 65 percent in 2009.

    However further action is still needed. Metro’s Youth Chances Survey 2014 found that more than half of gay young people had experienced either discrimination or harassment. In a report from Stonewall, last year 86 percent of secondary school teachers and 45 percent of primary school teachers said pupils at their school had experienced homophobic bullying. Most (89 per cent for secondary schools and 70 per cent for primary) had heard homophobic language used. Teachers say they lack the knowledge and confidence to tackle HBT bullying effectively. These projects will help to build that confidence by providing training and resources for school staff.

    Minister for Women and Equalities, Jo Swinson, said, “It’s good news that schools are making progress on homophobic bullying, but it must be eradicated entirely. The trauma of being bullied at school can stay with you for life, and it is absolutely unacceptable that those who may be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender are being targeted. Teachers need specialist support and training to help them stamp out homophobic bullying, which is why we have funded these excellent projects which are designed to tackle this issue head on.”

    The organisations awarded funding are:

    Anne Frank Trust (£104,894) – to run workshops and educate young people about prejudice and the impact of the Holocaust on lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

    Barnardo’s (£263,218) – to provide face-to-face support for victims of HBT bullying and training for staff with a focus on cultural issues in schools in Leeds and Wakefield.

    Diversity Role Models with Brook (£277,722) – to develop and deliver training on tackling HBT bullying to 10,000 teachers and staff in 400 schools.

    EACH (£189,304) – to deliver a training and resource programme in schools across Avon and Somerset.

    Educate and Celebrate (£214,048) – to train staff in 60 schools, giving them confidence and strategies to address HBT language and bullying and promote inclusiveness throughout the school environment and the curriculum.

    National Children’s Bureau (£128,754)– to train 1,500 teachers on tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia through PSHE.

    Show Racism the Red Card (£119,557)– to hold workshops with 2,000 young people at football clubs around England, train 200 teachers and run a film competition for young people on tackling HBT bullying.

    Stonewall (£465,594) – to extend and share its ‘train the trainer’ course with 60 partner organisations, enabling them to run the programme with schools in their local communities and giving them the skills to tackle HBT bullying.

    Marcel Varney, Assistant Director for Barnardo’s, said, “At Barnardo’s, we hear about HBT bullying from the young people we work with across the organisation. We know that the bullying of a young person because of their sexuality can be incredibly damaging and can impact dramatically on a young person’s ability to succeed at school.

    “This commitment from the government will enable us to reach hundreds of young people to alert them to the impact of HBT bullying. It‘s a big step towards stamping out HBT bullying. We aim to improve the visibility of LGBT lives in the school environment and ensure that young people are supported regardless of culture or religion.”

  • COLUMN | Frightful

    I tend to have a slightly over-active imagination. Maybe the diet of Hitchcock films and cheap thrillers that I devoured during my youth are to blame. I encountered three situations this week that sent my pulse racing and made me feel like Tippi Hedron in an aviary:

    1) Walking through the deserted park on my way home from work on a dark November evening, I heard a man running at me. As he approached I heard him wheezing and breathing heavily. Anticipating a knife in my back or at least a huge hairy hand round my throat, I braced myself. Of course, it was one of the ubiquitous joggers that pound the streets, getting sore nipples and suffering for a few pounds of weight loss. It was all quite harmless.

    2) Walking towards me was a man who was shouting loudly into the air. He was angry and babbling, face contorted with rage. Clearly this man was deranged and about to kick off, throwing punches and pulling out a huge sword as he moved to disembowel me. Of course, it was a man using his mobile. It’s so hard to tell nowadays who is and isn’t having a psychotic episode, as the world seems full of people shouting into mid air. It was all quite harmless.

    3) Sitting on the bus I hear the words “F**king gay boy” shouted out loud. I wince and am instantly back to my 14-year-old self, suffering homophobic abuse on a daily basis. I expect that an attack on myself is forthcoming and prepare to vacate the bus. Of course it was just teenagers, causally bantering with each other, using the words ‘gay’ and ‘gay-boy’ to mean ‘sh**e’. It was all quite harmless.

    Actually, no: the f**k number 3 was harmless. It was offensive, divisive and damaging. It might have been meant as a fun bit of cajoling but actually it’s really bloody offensive and really dangerous. Would they have used racist terms as insults to each other and thought that was O.K.? Is it O.K. to use a term describing a massive section of society to mean something is lame and useless? Is it harmless to allow this to happen when we’ve fought so hard for so many years for respect?

    Joggers are annoying and get under you feet. Mobile phone shouters are rude and ill mannered. People using the word gay to mean anything other than ‘happy’ (if they’re over 80) or homosexual are beyond despicable and in my opinion, are as dangerous and dumb as racists or people who use derogatory words for disabled people. I’m fully in support of the Stonewall Campaign against the casual use of homophobic language. I know it’s hard to change cultural practices but it’s not impossible.