We deplore bullying in schools and commend initiatives to reduce or eliminate all bullying in NSW government schools.
However, we are deeply disturbed by the current Proud Schools pilot program in 12 NSW government schools, targeting “homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism”.
Research shows that the most common reasons children experience bullying are body image, school grades and ethnicity. Sexual orientation, included in the survey, did not even rate among the top seven causes of bullying.
The program’s use of abusive terms “heterosexism”, “homophobia” and transphobia” wrongly teaches that reasoned objection to homosexual activity and its health risks is a “phobia” – that is, a “persistent, abnormal or irrational fear”.
All students deserve a safe school environment, but the Proud Schools program is not the way to achieve it. Emphasising homosexual bullying tells other students that the reasons they are bullied are not as important, deepening their sense of injustice and despair. School communities should foster courtesy and respect for all others, not just some.
We don’t want NSW school students to be exposed to a program aimed at normalising homosexuality.
Please cancel the Proud Schools program immediately.
http://www.fava.org.au/news/2013/nsw-citizens-query-a-proud-schoolsa-program/
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