Schools in need of gay guidelines

SCHOOL staff are often more uneasy than their students about young people being openly gay, research has found.

A key aspect of the study for the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) was to examine the challenges presented to school staff by students being openly gay.

Staff from 18 second-level schools spoke to the research team from National University of Ireland Maynooth about the need to support them in dealing with their own discomfort or lack of familiarity with issues relating to homosexual students.

A deputy principal said a senior student who recently revealed he was gay was overwhelmed by support from his fellow students.

“But it seemed to be the adults who might have had the problem,” the researchers were told.

An assistant principal mentioned one student had remarked that when a Lesbian couple went to a debs together she considered it weird that none of the teachers said anything, “like they thought it wasn’t right”.

“Not talking about it openly gives young people a bad message; that there is something wrong with being gay and that homophobia from teachers and students is okay,” the assistant principal said.

Most teachers noted a lack of clarity in the school’s general approach to dealing with sexual orientation issues and this was a barrier to responding positively to students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or unsure of their sexual orientation.

The report suggested religious bodies, which have a role in the running of most second-level schools, could play a major role in giving clear guidance and direction for schools to deal effectively with homophobic bullying. It also said teachers need training to sensitise them to these issues.

Seán Haughey, Minister of State at the Department of Education which funded the research, said the report highlights the need for schools, parents and the wider community to continue to tackle bullying, peer aggression and violence directed at young people based on their sexual orientation.

The department and GLEN are working on guidelines to help principals address issues around sexual orientation in their schools.