We’ve got much more to do – discrimination and prejudice are still prevalent in the playground

By Ed Balls MP

All of us can be proud today. Whether we’re on the London Pride march, a Labour Party member or both, we can all be proud of what our campaigning has achieved.

From an equal age of consent to civil partnerships and the right to adopt children, from scrapping the homophobic Section 28 to banning discrimination in the workplace and in the provision of goods and services, the list of advances for the LGBT community in the last twelve years goes on.

Much of this was done in the face of fierce opposition – not just in the House of Commons, but in the European Parliament too – and so we should never be complacent about what’s been achieved.

But for all this progress I’m clear that there is still more to do to create the equal and tolerant society we all want to see. As long as discrimination, intolerance and prejudice remains there is still a cause to fight for.

Sadly, that discrimination and prejudice all too often rears its ugly head in the playground, in the classroom and on the school bus. Bullying of any kind is wrong: every child has a right to learn in a safe and secure environment, free from bullying. It blights the lives of children and as Schools Secretary for the last two years I’ve been working with schools, anti-bullying organisations and teaching unions to step up our drive to stamp it out.

As I said at our Party Conference last year, we will now ensure all incidents of bullying are properly recorded in every school. Over the last couple of years we have expanded peer mentoring schemes and produced new guidance for schools on how to tackle cyberbullying, bullying of children with a disability or special educational needs and bullying on the grounds of race, religion or culture.

In partnership with Stonewall and Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) we have also produced the first-ever guidance on tackling homophobic bullying. And we will shortly be publishing guidance on sexist, sexual and transphobic bullying too.

I’m clear that homophobic insults should be viewed as seriously as racism. Even casual use of homophobic language in schools – such as the worryingly prevalent but unacceptable use of the word “gay” as a derogatory term – can create an atmosphere that isolates young people and can be the forerunner for more serious forms of bullying.

Homophobic bullying creates an ugly climate of intimidation and can make it harder for young people to come out. And whether it’s directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, or heterosexual young people, our guidance makes clear that such bullying should be challenged wherever it takes place.

In the last few months we’ve written again to all schools to remind them about the guidance, which should be used to help all schools fulfil their duty to prevent bullying on the grounds of either a pupil’s or their parent’s sexual orientation. Our independent inspectors Ofsted are now required to ensure that they check what systems schools have in place to deal with all forms of bullying, including homophobic bullying.

The guidance makes clear that Section 28 was repealed in 2003 and is no longer law, and that there are no legal barriers to teachers discussing issues around sexual orientation in the classroom. And it provides advice on a number of topics including: challenging the use of the word “gay” as a derogatory term; working with pupils who bully and providing support to those who are being bullied; how teachers should respond if a pupil comes out; and preventing homophobic abuse within schools by ensuring proper reporting systems are in place and creating a climate where lesbian, gay and bisexual adults and students feel safe.

Growing up can be challenging enough for young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Being bullied and discriminated against at school as well can make life miserable and sometimes fearful too. I want all schools to step up their efforts to stamp it out, because it’s only by tackling such prejudice in schools and in the playground that we will create a truly tolerant society.

And it’s only through progressive politics and by the LGBT community continuing to make themselves heard – as they are doing, proud and loud, on the streets of London today – that we can build on the advances of the last 12 years and make homophobia in every part of society a thing of the past.

Ed Balls is Labour MP for Normanton and Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

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