We’ve taken great strides to make schools more inclusive – but we can’t be complacent
PUT primary schools at the heart of, and the start of, lifelong learning. We may not remember the individual maths lessons from second class, or how we learned to read, but each of us remembers how our teachers made us feel. In the last 20 years the primary school curriculum has placed a lot more emphasis on the importance of celebrating diversity. Thankfully, there has been good progress in the direction of making our schools inclusive and welcoming places for all staff and pupils, but we should never become complacent, there is still plenty to do.
Challenges for our LGBT teachers remain. The Irish people spoke loudly when they voted to support same-sex marriage in the 2015 referendum but it also took until 2015 for the amendment of legislation that had allowed religiously run schools to discriminate against teachers because of their sexuality.
Until then, many teachers were afraid to mention their relationships over tea in the staffroom. Many were afraid that their colleagues, principal or their school’s board of management would react negatively if they were seen doing the grocery shopping with their partner.
The INTO LGBT+ Teachers’ Group, with the support of the INTO leadership, led a campaign to remove the element of the Employment Equality Act that allowed schools to discriminate against LGBT teachers for “undermining the religious ethos of the institution”. The legislation was amended, but it takes more than a change in the law to shift attitudes and change cultures.
The INTO’s Equality Committee conducted a survey to examine the experiences of LGBT teachers in our schools. The experiences reported were mixed. For some, being openly LGBT in their professional environment was not a difficulty. For others, particularly those in schools under a religious patronage, they were concerned about the reaction of their boards of management (or boards of governors in Northern Ireland) and parents.
Many worried that they might be discriminated against when applying for a job or promotion. Some 43pc of those surveyed in the Republic of Ireland, who are out in school, said that getting a permanent contract was an influence on them coming out in school.
One teacher said that they “came out very slowly to one colleague at a time. It was extremely scary and stressful”. They added that “being in the closet causes an extreme amount of discomfort and stress”.
Inclusive schools are built from the top down. Our principals play a key role in ensuring school environments are inclusive environments, but they are constrained if they aren’t supported by their boards of management or governors. We know that there is a willingness among teachers to create LGBT inclusive schools and classrooms, but it can be difficult to know how to start. Teachers need support and training in understanding terminology and in improving LGBT inclusion and visibility within the curriculum. The INTO
LGBT+ Teachers’ Group has done great work to promote inclusion in schools. Every primary school in the State received a copy of the LGBT+ Inclusive Staffroom poster that outlined good practice guidelines for the inclusion of LGBT staff. The group also runs an annual Different Families, Same Love competition that encourages teachers to teach about different family make-ups, including samesex parents.
The children in our schools come from many different homes and backgrounds. The Ann and Barry books of the past, showing families made up of mammy, daddy, two children, a dog and a cat, do not reflect the lived experiences of many of our pupils or teachers today.
There are many wonderful books that provide positive representation of LGBT characters in an age-appropriate way that can, and should, be included in our classroom libraries. LGBT identity should be openly presented and discussed across all curricular areas in the same way as ability, disability, culture and race.
And always, the INTO is delighted to represent the many teachers doing wonderful work to ensure that every pupil and teacher is safe and included in their school community. In response to our survey findings, and in recognition of the need for guidance on best practice, the INTO introduced a new online course to its summer programme on creating an LGBT inclusive school. The course was fully booked shortly after its launch.
Our LGBT teachers, pupils, parents and guardians have the support of legislation to be open about their identities and relationships in their schools, they also have the full support of the INTO. Let us all do our part to ensure that they also have the full support of the entire school community. Let’s make our schools inclusive and welcoming for all.
One teacher said they ‘came out very slowly to one colleague at a time. It was extremely scary and stressful’