SUE SANDERS
PROFESSOR EMERITUS, HARVEY MILK INSTITUTE, AND FOUNDER OF LGBT HISTORY MONTH UK AND THE CLASSROOM
If schools had taken seriously the public duty which has been in force for more than six years, we would not be facing this problem. Schools OUT UK offered a very effective and simple model for teachers to “usualise” LGBTQ experience and issues and the model can be easily used for all the protected strands. At the- classroom. org. uk we have provided more than 80 free lesson plans that cover the whole curriculum and are suitable for all ages. The concept is a simple one: when we “usualise” something, we acclimatise people to its presence and take away the threat of difference which creates fear and discrimination. “Usualising” in schools has more to do with familiarising learners with a subject’s every- day occurrence or existence rather than an in- depth understanding of the subject. To educate out prejudice we need to enable learners to see the reality of other people’s existence, thus countering stereotypes they may be presented with later [ in life]. We urge teachers to be facilitated to use this method for all religions, ethnicities, gender, ages and abilities. In this way, no one group would feel that other people are getting special treatment and would recognise that the school is following the law and enabling its learners to recognise the diversity of the country they live in.
“WE HAVE 80 FREE LESSON PLANS FOR ALL AGES”