Global LGBTQ

Scotland Will be the First Country with LGBTGI-Inclusive School Curriculums

Scotland’s government recently accepted 33 recommendations on LGBTQI+ inclusive education and [tackling] LGBTQ+ bullying in schools, created by the Time for Inclusive (TIE) campaign. As a result, Scotland will be the first country in the world to include LGBTQI+ issues and history in school curricula.

In a statement, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said, “our education system must support everyone to reach their full potential; that is why it is vital the curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools.”

The 33 recommendations include requiring state schools across Scotland to educate students on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex issues. Further, state schools should educate students on LGBTQI+ history, movements, terminology, identities, and ways to eliminate homophobia and discrimination. Further, there will be no exemptions from including LGBTQI+ issues across school curriculum and classes subjects. The recommendations also include mandatory free training programs for teachers and offering new teaching materials to tackle LGBTQI+ issues.

TIE campaign’s recommendations are the result of a study they conducted where they found that nine out of 10 LGBTQI+ students in Scotland experience homophobia and bullying in schools. Further, 27% LGBTQI+ students reported they attempted suicide after being bullied. TIE campaign also found that most schools had little understanding or knowledge of intersex individuals, which often leads to environments that can foster discrimination.

TIE is a Scottish campaign group founded in June 2015 dedicated to fighting homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in schools and advocating for LGBT-inclusive education. In response to the Scottish Government’s decisions, TIE campaign tweeted: “we did it! This means that all young people will learn about the LGBTI community.”

Currently, there is no official time frame for the curriculum changes.

 

Newswire sources: CNN 11/09/18; Buzzfeed News 10/09/18

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