REPORT OF THE LGBT
TEACHERS'CONFERENCE
Shaping a Culture of LGBT Equality in Schools
Saturday, 6 november 2010
LONDON
‘SHAPING A CULTURE OF LGBT EQUALITY IN SCHOOLS’
PROGRAMME
SATURDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2010
Hamilton House, London
10.00-10.30am / Registration10:30-10:45am / Gill Goodswen, NUT President
10:45-11:15am / Marc Lewis, Massachusetts Teachers Association board member and past president of GLSEN Boston, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
11:15-11:30am / Tea Break
11.30 am-12.00pm / Bev Ayre, Homotopia Development Director and Project Triangle, Merseyside
12.00-12.30pm / Regional and Wales Discussion Groups (Table)
Theme:‘Celebrating and making visible LGBT diversity in the curriculum’
12:30-1:30pm / Lunch
Deadline for ballot papers for TUC LGBT Conference delegates
Forms must be placed in the Ballot box by 1.30pm
1.30-1.45pm / Christine Blower, NUT General Secretary, to open afternoon
WORKSHOPS
1.45-2.45pm / Workshop A: Promoting LGBT Equality in Primary Schools –
Sue East, John Harold and Jonathon Doyle Room 1
Workshop B: Practical things to do to tackle homophobia and celebrate LGBT Pride in secondary schools –
Wendy Anderson Room 2
Workshop C: Fighting fascism and bullying with culture: An introduction to Love Music Hate Homophobia
Josh Hollands, Love Music Hate Homophobia Room 3
Workshop D: Trans Equality
Carola Towle, Unison Room 7
Workshop E: What do the Far Right actually say about the LGBT community?
David Braniff-Herbert, HOPE not hate Room 8
2.45-3.00 pm / Tea Break
3.00-4.00 pm / Have your say – Debate on Motion to be forwarded to Annual Conference 2011, including the decision on which motion will go to Annual Conference
4.00-5.00 pm / Panel Discussions- Reflections on “Being Out” at School – Kevin Baker, Sally Carr, Liam Nolan and Elly Barnes.
Chair: Dave Brinson
5.00-5.10pm / Union thanks to Steve Boyce
5.10-5.20pm / Closing Remarks
5.20pm onwards / Informal drinks to take place at the Lucas Arms on Grays Inn Road.
REPORT OF THE LGBT TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE HELD ON SATURDAY, 6NOVEMBER 2010
SHAPING A CULTURE OF LGBT EQUALITY IN SCHOOLS
Over 60 teachers attended the 2010 NUT LGBT Teachers’ Conference at NUTHeadquarters, London on Saturday, 6 November 2010.
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Conference Chair and Executive member, Dave Brinson welcomed delegates, new and old, to the Conference which aimed to ensure that education policy was shaped by the concerns of LGBT teachers.
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
Gill Goodswen, NUT President, highlighted the Conference theme: ‘Shaping a Culture of LGBT Equality in Schools’. The Conference was a dedicated safe space for LGBT teachers that had grown in size every year. The NUT was proud of its strong history of championing LGBT rights and the Union saw LGBT equality as an issue for all teachers, not just those identifying as such.
The President emphasised the goal of ensuring that homophobic bullying was recognised as a serious concern in schools. All teachers and school governing bodies had a responsibility to create a safe and secure environment for pupils to learn. Gill paid tribute to the power of activists working to make a real difference, for example, through the surveys into the prevalence of homophobia in schools launched on International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) earlier in the year.
Gill quoted comedian and musician, Lynn Lavener who said:
“The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love heterosexuals. It’s just that they need more supervision.”
In closing, the President expressed solidarity with LGBT trade unionists across Europe and the world who were fighting for trade union values and for an education system that could be the pride of all.
SPEAKER:
MARC LEWIS – Massachusetts Teachers’ Association Board Member and past President of GLSEN Boston (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network)
Marc Lewiscommenced his session by praising the longstanding relationship between the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association and the National Union of Teachers. He emphasised that this was a highly valued alliance and his invitation to address the NUT LGBT Teachers’ Conference meant much to him personally and professionally. He went on to comment that we were all connected in our mission to work for equality for LGBT people and noted the NUT’s progressive forum for promoting LGBT equality within its membership.
Marc clearly indicated that the views he was expressing at the Conference did not represent those of the National Education Association or the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association. He was speaking at the Conference as one of the 3.2 million NEAmembers who had a story and a perspective to share. He shared his belief that members were the Union and had to be part of any change that they wished to bring about.
The presentation continued with Marc sharing various experiences of applying for teaching positions, particularly his encounters with interview panels and the concept of diversity. Marc outlined his involvement with the LGBT organisation GLSEN Boston (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network). He provided the Conference with abrief overview of his personal role in GLSEN, the ‘Coming Out In School’ conferences he organised and the provision of support for teachers wanting to come out in schools. Marc personally began his journey of coming out during this period. Over the following years, Marc went on to become President of GLSEN Boston.
Marc provided a succinct overview of the struggle for LGBT rights in the USA. The great tension in US politics of the division of power between State and Federal Governments was outlined as central to the discourse on LGBT rights and equality within the UnitedStates. Marc asserted that the role of State powers remained a very divisive area of American politics and greatly impacted on teachers’ workplaces and daily lives.
Marc highlighted the lack of federal law protecting LGBT teachers against sexual discrimination. In practice, millions of LGBT Americans were unable access the same rights as heterosexual married couples. Marc reported that there were no national codes of conduct across American schools preventing the bullying and harassment of LGBT students, or students who were perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.
Marc’s presentation went on to focus on the American media. He commented that he believed the American media was unable simultaneously to focus on multiple issues affecting the LGBT community. The current focuses seemed to be on marriage equality and lesbian, gay and bisexual people having the right to serve openly in the US Military. Whilst acknowledging that these were worthwhile and important aspects of LGBT equality, Marc noted that this myopic focus neglected the wider issues impacting the lives of LGBT people.
The fact that an LGBT person could be fired from their job on the basis of their sexuality was reiterated. Marc asserted that this should be at the forefront of campaigning for equality. He continued by highlighting that the Youth Risk Behaviour survey revealed that students who identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual were more likely than their peers to report attacks, suicide attempts or drug addition. A quarter of Massachusetts’ lesbian, gay or bisexual students attempted suicide.
Marc noted that attitudes would change if LGBT people were more visible in American society. He suggested that marriage equality was not the panacea it was heralded to be. Millions of LGBT people could still lose their jobs just for being who they were. LGBT students were not protected against bullying, harassment and victimisation. Marc recognised that marriage equality was an important civil rights equality issue. However, he expressed his belief that LGBT equality issues could be and had to be addressed simultaneously with employment conditions and rights, the promotion of equality, combating harassment and bullying and making schools acceptable for all.
Marc concluded by quoting Mahatma Gandhi: “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
SPEAKER AND FILM:
BEV AYRE AND JESS WIGNALL – Homotopia Development Director,ProjectTriangle, Merseyside
Bev Ayre introduced Project Triangle, which had been initiated in 2009 to educate young LGBT people about hate crime. She mentioned that the young people had travelled to Auschwitz to learn about the Holocaust and hate crime.
Bev referred to the education resource that Homotopia had produced with the Union’s support. She said it was the only resource of its kind, and linked bullying and hate crime.
She said that as a result of the strong interest shown by the young people involved in Project Triangle, it had continued beyond its initial time frame and was still ongoing. Bev mentioned that there had been 15 young people involved in the project.
Bev introduced Jess Wignall, maker of the latest Project Triangle film, which had been launched the previous night. The film documented some of the activities of LGBT young people involved in the ‘Big Gay Project.’ It showed their work against the BNP, their anti-homophobia graffiti project, their activities at Liverpool Pride and their visit to London to meet with policymakers and media organisations.
REGIONAL/WALES DISCUSSION GROUPS
Celebrating and Making Visible LGBT Diversity inthe Curriculum
Groups discussed the theme ‘Celebrating and Making Visible LGBT Diversity in the Curriculum’. Their task was to identify:
- success stories: examples of good practice in the curriculum
- challenges: what challenges still needed to be overcome?
- action points: what could be done individually, at school, locally and nationally?
The key points from the discussion groups are attached as Appendix 3.
GENERAL SECRETARY’S ADDRESS
Christine Blower, General Secretary, stressed that campaigning for LGBT rights was an essential part of the NUT’s work to protect all teachers and to promote the welfare of all pupils. The General Secretary reported that the first ever debateat Annual Conference on a motion from the LGBT Teachers’ Conference had resulted in a national campaign strategy for challenging homophobia and transphobia in schools and colleges.
Christine Blower explained a seat was to be reserved for an LGBT member who would be elected by only those in Union membership who self-defined as LGBT. This move aimed to make the Executive more representative of the Union’s membership. Christine stressed that any such information given to the Union would remain within the Union and confidential.
The General Secretary welcomed the pleasing size of the Conference, noting that it was a reflection of the importance the NUT placed on LGBT equality and the investment the Union made in supporting its LGBT members.
Responding to a question about the formation of a new Advisory Committee for LGBT Equality in Education, the General Secretary reported that there had been a wide-ranging consultation about the change in status from the current Working Party to an Advisory Committee. Previously, the Working Party’s arrangement had been ad hoc and the general feeling of members had been that LGBT equality should formally be recognised as part of the Union’s structure with the formation of an Advisory Committee. The General Secretary acknowledged that some members felt excluded because of the rule that members had to be in-service. The rules, however, also gave scope for co-options to ensure that abreadth of expertise and experience was represented on the Advisory Committee.
GUEST SPEAKER:
DIKELEDI SIBANDA – The ‘Chosen Few’, South Africa
Dikeledi received a warm welcome from the Conference. She described how, since 2003, the ‘Chosen Few’ had been the only lesbian football team in South Africa. Personally, she had been a player and was now a coach. “Discrimination was a global issue”, said Dikeledi, with young lesbians having the highest dropout rate from school in South Africa.
WORKSHOPS
Participants were able to choose one of the sixworkshops that were available.
WORKSHOP A
‘Tackling Homophobia at Primary School’–JOHN HAROLD, SUE EAST and JONATHANDOYLE
WORKSHOP B
‘Practical Things to do to Tackle Homophobia and Celebrate LGBT Pride in SecondarySchools’ – WENDY ANDERSON
WORKSHOP C
‘Fighting Fascism And Bullying With Culture: An Introduction to Love Music HateHomophobia’ –JOSH HOLLANDS
WORKSHOP D
‘Promoting Trans Equality’– CAROLA TOWLE, Unison National Officer, LGBTEquality
WORKSHOP E
‘What do the Far Right actually say about the LGBT Community?’ –DAVIDBRANIFF-HERBERT, LGBT Organiser, ‘HOPE Not Hate’
WORKSHOP F
‘Experiences of being a Lesbian Footballer in South Africa’ – DIKELEDI SIBANDA, coach of the only all lesbian football team, ‘The Chosen Few’, in South Africa
‘HAVE YOUR SAY’ – DEBATE ON MOTION TO BE FORWARDED TO ANNUALCONFERENCE 2011
The Conference debated motions. The text of both motions is attached as Appendix 1.
Motion 1 was moved by Nick Jones, of Wakefield and District, and was seconded by DebsGwynn, of St Helens Association.
An amendment was moved by Sue Caldwall and Mike Dance, both of Wakefield and District, and was accepted. A further amendment from Buckinghamshire was defeated.
Motion 1, as amended, was carried by the Conference.
Motion 2, “Homophobic prejudice and discrimination in religious schools” was moved by Paul Bell of Medway Association and seconded by Wendy Anderson of WalthamForest Association.
Motion 2 was carried by the Conference.
The conference then voted to submit Motion 2 to NUT Annual Conference 2011.
ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO THE TUC LGBT CONFERENCE 2011
A development of this year’s Conference was the opportunity for four lay membersfrom those attending the LGBT Teachers’ Conference to be elected directly on to the delegation to the TUC’s LGBT Conference.
The results of the election are set out in Appendix 2.
PANEL DISCUSSION – REFLECTIONS ON BEING ‘OUT’AT SCHOOL
Elly Barnes
Elly Barnes, Diversity Course Leader at StokeNewingtonSchool, described how the school had changed its culture by eliminating homophobia. Staff, students and parents had been educated and students empowered to report bullying. Staff and students felt comfortable to come out at school. The school’s diversity work had been reported in aGuardian article and on the BBC News.
Elly reminded participants that it was legal to teach about LGBT equality and referred participants to the Ofsted criterion and the Government Equality Office guidance.
Stoke Newington School had become a diversity training centre offering one-day courses at which lesson plans were provided. Finally, Elly urged LGBT teachers and their schools to be role models.
Kevin Baker-O’Hare
Kevin described his journey as a gay teacher with over 34 years of teaching experience. During the early 70s, he had hidden his sexuality and tried to be someone else, coming out to a stranger at the age of 27. During the 1980s, his sexuality remained hidden but by then he was sharing his life with a partner, keeping his working and private lives separate. In the 1990s, he came out to colleagues,but not to children, at school. After moving to a large school in rural Devon, Kevin felt very supported by his head teacher. After being included in a photograph and article in the Parish magazine, everyone found out that he was gay. In his school he has challenged the use of ‘gay’ as being anegative word, responding to the question, “Are you gay, sir?”. His reply would be, “Would it matter if I was?”. Kevin felt that his openness about his sexuality was important in supporting lesbian and gay children who came out. LGBT equality, emphasised Kevin, was an important part of school improvement. Schools needed to accept openness.
Sally Carr
Sally was introduced to delegates as a teacher of 22 years specialising in physics and chemistry, currently teaching in a secondary modern school in Poole.
Sally described to the Conference how she came out to family and friends at the age of 29. She vowed that if anyone queried her sexuality that she would tell the truth. She commented that during her first 15 years of teaching nobody asked.
Sally described the occasion when she came out at school. A student asked during a class one day – “Miss, are you a lesbian?” Sally responded “Yes”, amidst a long pause of silence in the classroom. A hand went up – “Are you happy, Miss?” Sally replied, “Yes I am, very happy”. A student asked, “Are you happy with us having this information?” And Sally concluded by telling her students that, although she was happy, there would be some people who would attempt to use it against her. Sally went on to comment that the lesson she was teaching on acid rain just continued as if nothing had happened.
Sally went on to describe a difficult period at her school once it became known that she was a lesbian. A major incident involving a false imprisonment accusation from a parent, coupled with a lack of support from her head teacher severely knocked Sally’s confidence. Once she became aware of her rights and sought advice from the NUT and her local authority, a wave of support followed. Sally concluded by stating that no one said that being gay was going to be easy.
Liam Nolan, Head Teacher, PerryBeechesSchool
The Chair introduced Liam Nolan. He mentioned Liam’s work as a head teacher and the recognition that Liam had achieved as head of ‘the most improved school ever’, according to one media report.
Liam said that he was a head teacher and had been an out gay man for his whole career. Being out had not prevented him from succeeding.
He said that standards could be useful and drew attention to the level of improvement in his schools. Liam described the large number of pupils in his school facing barriers due to ethnicity or social class. He said that he always pointed out that his school was led by a gay man.
Liam highlighted the importance of recognising that school improvement was a whole school issue and that school ethos had to be addressed. He made clear to prospective students the school’s diversity and its positive attitude toward equality.