Members of the public can now sign up and back the Time for Inclusive Education campaign online
Members of the public are being urged to pledge their support online for a campaign to introduce LGBT+ education into Scottish schools.
The Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign group has launched a new website appealing for people to sign up and support their calls for a new national strategy to tackle homophobic bullying.
Its leading proposals include calls for new legislation in the lifetime of the current parliament, which would require all teachers to be trained on how to tackle homophobia in the classroom and to deliver upon LGBT+ inclusive educational guidance.
TIE is also calling for all local authorities to record incidents of homophobic bullying in schools, a framework which is currently not in place.
We would urge members of the public and all MSPs who agree with us that it is time to take action against bullying in schools
The move comes as recent research from TIE highlighted that 90% of LGBT+ pupils reported experiencing homophobia in school, with 42% having attempted suicide as a result of being bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
TIE has been campaigning for a new strategy to implement LGBT+ inclusive education for over a year, and has secured cross party political support for its cause, but now the campaigners are insisting that it is time for action.
Jordan Daly, co-founder of TIE, said: “Our aim is to ensure that all schools across the country are safe and supportive environments for LGBT young people, and we have very clear proposals as to how we get there.
“We would urge members of the public and all MSPs who agree with us that it is time to take action against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools to sign our pledge and show that they are committed to addressing the issues facing LGBT learners during this term of parliament.
“We are encouraged by the support that our campaign has generated over the last year, but it is now time for action. The Scottish Government’s current strategy in this area is patchy and ineffective, and this has to be addressed with an open mind if we are to see any meaningful change.”
First minister Nicola Sturgeon, actress Emma Thompson and human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar have all pledged their support to the campaign.
SNP depute leadership contender Tommy Sheppard MP; Monica Lennon MSP, Scottish Labour inequalities spokeswoman, and Conservative MSP Ross Thomson have also joined the campaigners in calling for action.
Thomson said: “We need to stand up to the bullies and empower our teachers and young people to tackle bullying, harassment and abuse head on. We can't just stand by and hope that homophobia will go away. If we educate we'll liberate."
Sheppard said: " We've come a long way but there's a long way still to go. Everyone should feel confident in being able to be themselves without fear of being bullied or put down because of their sexuality or gender identity.”
Lennon added: “I’ve been increasingly impressed by the TIE campaign’s drive to improve Scotland’s education system and I have been a supporter of their aims from the outset.
“I’ll certainly be signing the pledge and I hope that many more will also agree that the Scottish Government must do more to tackle inequality in schools.”
Campaigners from TIE are expected to meet with education secretary John Swinney in the coming weeks to discuss their proposals.
