Limbrick Wood - No Outsiders

Andrew Moffat

Challenging homophobia in primary schools

Five year olds need to be taught that gay people exist. Some five year olds will already know this; there are children in our schools today who are being brought up by parents in a same sex relationship, and there are children who have gay uncles and aunts, gay brothers and sisters, gay grandparents. There are children living next door to gay people and children whose parents socialise with gay people. Gay people pop up on television programmes like Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Emmerdale. Gay people, in fact, are everywhere…. except in the National Curriculum, and certainly not visibly in our schools.

Schools have become very effective in promoting diversity and we often talk about engaging with our communities. We talk about every child being “special” and encourage children to be proud of the person they are. However if a child is gay, do they receive the same support and encouragement? There are children in every Primary classroom who feel they do not fit in with the gender expectations of their peers. These children may or may not grow up to be gay, but regardless we need to be providing a supportive and nurturing environment for their learning. Every child benefits from an ethos of mutual respect and a celebration of who they are. Teaching about sexuality:

1. Gives potentially gay children the skills to deal with their sexuality when they realise who they are.
2. Gives potentially heterosexual children the skills to deal with their sexuality when they realise who they are
3. Reduces the likelihood of homophobia because by talking about gay people we de-mystify them and remove the taboo.

As a primary teacher qualifying in the mid 1990’s I was terrified of Clause 28. I didn’t mention the word “gay” in a classroom for the first ten years of my career! When I heard children use the term “gay” as a put down I would deal with the situation without actually repeating … that word. I didn’t know what I was allowed to say or wasn’t allowed to say, so I didn’t say anything at all. Clause 28 was repealed in 2003 and now the government recognises the need to address homophobia in schools in a clear and consistent way. “Every Child Matters”, the DfES say.
The DfES anti-bullying guidance (2000)”Don’t suffer in silence”, recognises sexual orientation bullying, and argues;  “Pupils do not necessarily have to be lesbian, gay or bisexual to experience such bullying. Just being different can be enough” (DfES 2000).
The DfES “Bullying- A charter for action” document (2005) also recognises sexual orientation in its guidance; “Do we work with all staff and outside agencies to identify different sorts of bullying, including homophobic and racist bullying, and bullying of children with disabilities or special educational needs” (DfES; 2005). The DfES aims to have all schools sign up to the charter within five years.
The DfES “Every Child Matters” document (DfES 2004) identifies five outcomes which include being mentally healthy, being protected from harm and neglect, and being positively involved in community and society. The DfES “Stand up for us” guidance for challenging homophobia in schools (2004) argues; “(the Every Child Matters outcomes) will not be deliverable in a culture of homophobia and homophobic bullying. Additionally, Ofsted will judge pupils’ personal development, what the school does to cultivate it, and how well pupils mature during their time in school” (DfES 2004)

In 2007 the newly appointed Children’s Minister, Kevin Brennan MP addressed Stonewall’s Education For All conference and argued;
 “We need to make sure that every teacher has the knowledge, skills and confidence to deal with incidents of homophobic bullying. To challenge intolerance and disrespect in whatever form it rears its ugly head.”
“Just as it took several years for racial equality laws to feed into real culture change where racist language became unacceptable, so we now need to achieve the same with homophobic language” (Stonewall, 2007)
Early intervention is the key to addressing homophobic bullying in schools. There is nothing complicated or horrific about teaching young children that some girls grow up and fall in love with boys, some girls grow up and fall in love with girls. Some boys grow up and fall in love with girls and some boys grow up and fall in love with boys. That’s it! I am not teaching children about gay sex, I am merely teaching children that gay people exist and that it’s okay.

Mark Jennet (“Stand up for us” 2004) argues;

“All schools, particularly early years settings and primary schools, are ideally placed to challenge homophobia because they make a significant contribution to the development of values and attitudes in young children that are likely to be highly resistant to change in later life”

This resource takes the DfES “Stand up for us” document forward, giving sixteen practical lesson plans for teachers in early years. The plans are a tool enabling teachers to meet the government legislation outlined above. There are four plans for Reception, six plans for Year 1 and six plans for Year 2. I advise teaching the plans as a module over a half term. Each plan uses a children’s book as a focus for the lesson. The teacher reads the story, there are notes for discussion and then a role play to tease out the issues and develop thinking. A plenary concludes the lesson. Each lesson plan is linked to the learning objectives identified in SEAL.

The Reception plans focus on the understanding that we are all different and we can all like different things and still be friends. There is no specific mention of sexuality, rather the plans promote diversity and confidence in oneself. The role plays are fun and inclusive and the books are bright and cheerful.

The Year 1 module builds on the objectives met in Reception. Now the characters in the books are individual and have trouble fitting in with the roles that are expected of them. The stories show how they come to be accepted by their peers as they develop confidence in the person they are. Week five introduces a gay character for the first time, in “Spacegirl pukes”. There is no particular emphasis on the lesbian Mums in the story, or in the role-play but they are there, they exist and it’s the first time the plans specifically reinforce diversity in families. The module concludes exploring diverse relationships. The final story demonstrates friends adapting despite difference.

The Year 2 module begins by challenging gender roles and expectations. A Seahorse carries his young across the sea and meets other male fish doing the same. Three books in this module specifically deal with raising awareness of sexuality. One book uses penguins to tell the story of two Dads bringing up a chick. Another book tells the story of a Prince who is under pressure to get married to a Princess but falls in love with her brother instead, and then to bring the subject home and relevant to the children’s own experience, the final book tells the story of a girl with two Mums who is told by classmates that hers isn’t a proper family. The final book deals with the consequences of prejudice and discrimination in a very child-friendly way. The role play aims to develop children’s understanding of homophobia and the language it carries.

By not mentioning gay relationships in the classroom we run the risk of unconsciously teaching children that being gay is something to be ashamed of or something to hide. Children need to know that there are different kinds of families and there is not one model that is preferable. Children need to develop empathy and to have confidence in being who they are, even if that means being different to the child next to them. Finally children need to understand that the world is full of different people who like different things, and we should celebrate that fact with them.

This introduction is edited from “Challenging homophobia through emotional Literacy: An early years resource to address homophobia in the Primary School”, written by Andrew Moffat

References

DfES (2000) Don’t suffer in silence- anti-bullying guidance ;   http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/

DfES  (2004) Every Child Matters ; http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/

DfES (2004) Stand up for us: guidance for challenging homophobia in schools (written by Mark Jennett), www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk

DfES (2005) Bullying- A charter for action” ; http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/

DfES; 2005; Primary National Strategy: Excellence and Enjoyment: social and emotional aspects of learning guidance; (SEAL) DfES 1378-2005 G
Stonewall; 2007; “New Childrens' Minister blasts anti-gay bullying in schools and 'homophobic language by mainstream radio DJs” www.stonewall.org.uk

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