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Education

LGBT history

(152 Posts)
Anniebach Tue 01-Nov-16 09:42:36

Corbyn has said his future government will add LGBT history to the school carriculum,

Yes ? No?

Anniebach Tue 01-Nov-16 23:19:21

Hell bells, I was taught about Oscar Wilde in a school which was demolished fifty years ago , it was a junior school

daphnedill Tue 01-Nov-16 23:19:24

Going back to the last page to answer anniebach's question about bullying. Yes, bullying is part of the personal and social education curriculum, including homophobic bullying.

daphnedill Tue 01-Nov-16 23:20:54

As a matter of interest, why were you taught about Oscar Wilde? I'm pretty sure I wasn't.

Anniebach Tue 01-Nov-16 23:21:18

To GSCE level Daphne ?

rosesarered Tue 01-Nov-16 23:22:20

I doubt that Corbyn's latest gem will get off the ground ( he has other things to sort out,
Like not having the support of most of the Labour MP's.)It was just a speech that will be forgotten.

Anniebach Tue 01-Nov-16 23:26:24

Because we didn't attend the same school perhaps Daphne , how would I know why he chose to introduce us to Wilde? Considering we had to learn a poem every week that is a lot of poets over a number of years

durhamjen Tue 01-Nov-16 23:27:59

www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/10/27/jeremy-corbyn-without-david-camerons-commitment-equal-marriage-would-not-be-law/

This is what he said. Sounds okay to me. Those who are criticising Corbyn seem to have forgotten that Cameron brought in gay marriage.

Anniebach Tue 01-Nov-16 23:29:08

I agree rosesarered, he wasn't going to get shouted down st the Pink News awards was he grin

rosesarered Tue 01-Nov-16 23:31:59

No, he was in his comfort zone I expect grin another great (not) idea to burden teachers with.

durhamjen Tue 01-Nov-16 23:36:04

What else was he supposed to talk about at the pink news awards?
You are both getting silly now.
Perhaps you ought to read the rest of it before criticising any more. What he says is very sensible, although you wouldn't know so from this thread.
Cameron was given his award as well last week.

rosesarered Tue 01-Nov-16 23:49:50

In that case...we can all sleep happier in our beds.moon

Anniebach Wed 02-Nov-16 08:51:22

Gay marriage is not compulsory

daphnedill Wed 02-Nov-16 09:24:11

Who said it was?

Anniebach Wed 02-Nov-16 09:28:51

A poster chose to bring gay marriage into this Daphne, no idea why ,

Lilyflower Wed 02-Nov-16 09:56:59

Children need to be protected from overt and early sexualisation, not have their poor wee, innocent noses rubbed in it. As with so many things well meaning idiots will pick up the ball and run with it and alleviation of one ill will result in the promotion of another.

radicalnan Wed 02-Nov-16 09:59:37

My kids were watching Sky News about 20 years ago and they came running into the kitchen and said 'Aunty Karen is on telly saying 'we're here, we're here, we're here because we're queer'.

'What's queer about Aunty Karen they asked?

'Nothing' I said.

They knew she played football and could explain the offside rule, she rode a motorbike and had a girlfriend, they hadn't though anything of it and we carried on like that.

Why load kids up with the troubles of the world, it is all much of a muchness to them.

Corbyn ought to occupy himself with more pressing matters silly old fool.

Anniebach Wed 02-Nov-16 10:35:20

When my younger daughter was in junior school a close friend lived with her mother, sister and the deputy female head of the same school, they rented a two bed roomed house in the town. When the girls were in the high school my daughter said Jenny is moving to one of the big houses which has just been built, she went to the new house, came home said how lovely the house was, Jenny and her sister had a bedroom each , their mother and the deputy head were still sharing a bedroom , i expect they are keeping the fourth for visitors. So sweet. When she was a little older she realised the woman were a couple, no problem. No LGBT history lessons needed

daphnedill Wed 02-Nov-16 11:23:14

I don't see how shying away from acknowledging same sex couples or single gays is 'rubbing innocent noses in it'. We don't think twice about talking about heterosexual couples. Young children aren't quite so 'innocent' as we sometimes assume. Even quite young children realise that their parents have sex.

Eloethan Wed 02-Nov-16 11:47:20

Isn't it more about being inclusive of people who have traditionally been excluded, and showing positive representations re LGBT, rather than formal "lessons".

I think it's easy for people who are not LGBT to say "what's all the fuss about, there's no need to make special provision". But some young people may be confused or embarrassed about their sexual feelings and I think it's important for these issues to be discussed so as to challenge and hopefully dispel prejudice and bullying. Surely it is essential to ensure that young people who are confused or embarassed about their sexuality are not left confused and anxious and having to deal with these feelings on their own.

Eloethan Wed 02-Nov-16 11:54:36

The assumption that most people don't give a fig about people's sexuality disregards the fact that there are still examples of young people being disowned by their parents for being gay, of children being bullied at school and of assaults on people who are seen to be "different".

daphnedill Wed 02-Nov-16 12:08:32

I don't assume that people don't give a fig about people's sexuality, but I agree with you that formal lessons won't address any issues. What on earth can a pupil 'learn' in a lesson about LGBT? What needs 'learning' can be summed up in a few minutes. It's the attitudes and understanding which take longer to change, so I think you're right that it needs embedding into a school's ethos. Most schools have pastoral staff and often have access to counsellors. If the school still has a nurse, she can play a role - most school nurses also act as agony aunts.

I do think special provision needs to be made alongside a school's bullying policies and practices. Some schools are much better at it than others. I just don't think 'lessons' are needed or even appropriate - and I don't think that's what Corbyn meant anyway.

daphnedill Wed 02-Nov-16 12:12:39

By the way, it was as recently as 2003 that Section 28 was repealed. This stated that a local authority "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship".

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28

Schools have moved on from then in a relatively short time, although attitudes haven't been entirely eradicated. I'm not claiming the job is done and there's no issue, but we've come a hell of a long way.

Anniebach Wed 02-Nov-16 12:28:05

Corbyn said included in the school carriculum, what we think he meant or didn't mean doesn't matter ,

daphnedill Wed 02-Nov-16 12:40:39

In that case, I don't have any problems with what he said. The curriculum is much more than timetabled lessons. It includes ethos, policies and practice and assemblies, etc etc. The lives of people who suffered hardship or injustice or showed extraordinary bravery are often the topic of assemblies.

gillybob Wed 02-Nov-16 12:49:56

I agree with daphnedill that The lives of people who suffered hardship or injustice or showed extraordinary bravery are often the topic of assemblies.

This was often the case when I was at school too and quite often the DGC pleasantly surprise me with what they "did" in assembly.