I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love. Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving! We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
Location: US/Canada
Registered: September 2009
Messages: 733
By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Jan 24 | Stonewall UK announced this morning that its Education for All campaign, launched in January 2005, which helps tackle homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools and works with a wide coalition of groups, has released a new film on DVD, Fit- to be sent to every secondary school in the UK and is supported in this effort by a major teaching union and the DCSF.
FIT – Stonewall’s film for schools - is an intelligent, powerful and entertaining film. The storyline uses hip-hop, humour, colourful Adidas tracksuits and lively writing similar to Channel 4’s Skins to communicate with pupils in a way that makes it easy for them to engage with the issues raised.
The interactive DVD has been devised to tackle homophobic bullying and encourage pupils to challenge their widespread use of the word ‘gay’ to mean anything rubbish or inadequate. It gives further support to teachers who have recently reported being extremely under-resourced in tackling homophobic bullying in their schools.
Recent YouGov research for Stonewall found that nine in ten secondary school teachers said pupils currently experience homophobic bullying in their schools. Yet nine in ten teachers have never received any specific training on how to tackle the problem. One in five secondary school teachers said they would not feel comfortable addressing gay issues in the classroom and one in six said they would not feel confident responding if a pupil were to ask questions regarding gay issues.
FIT is an adaptation of Stonewall’s highly successful play for schools, which was seen on tour by 20,000 pupils in Britain in 2008-9. Pupil reactions to the play demonstrate how effective it has been in encouraging them to reassess their prejudices. Navdeep, a year 8 pupil at a south London school, said: ‘After watching FIT, we realised it was wrong to use the word gay as a cuss word. You shouldn’t outcast your friend if they’re gay.’
Chris Gibbons, Stonewall’s Senior Education Officer, said: ‘Overwhelming positive response to FIT as a touring play – from pupils and teachers alike – convinced us that a feature film would help every secondary school in Britain to challenge homophobic bullying. Teachers are still ill-equipped and unsure of how to deal with gay issues in their classrooms. Stonewall’s film for schools will help plug this gap.’
Writer / director of FIT Rikki Beadle-Blair said:
"When on tour I would ask the kids how many people thought homosexuality was wrong. In every single school the vast majority, about 80%, would put their hands up. But kids would come up after the performance and say quite openly “I walked into this room homophobic and will leave it a changed person."
FIT was produced with the support of a consortium of funders and will be sent out to every secondary school by the end of February with the support of the teachers’ union NASUWT.
Location: New Zealand
Registered: August 2009
Messages: 317
That looks great, Brody and what an excellent idea! But is there any chance that it could be shown in US schools where it appears to be more needed?
Actually, i know a teacher in a small NZ Highschool. I know her really well - well, she is my daughter. She says that any cases of homophobic bullying are jumped-on really fast but the use of 'gay' as an insult is so rife that staff just ignore it - it's just common usage now.
cheers
Commas matter - 'Party on Dudes' is not the same as 'Party on, Dudes'
My daughter, too, teaches in a small high school (Clifton High School - Clifton is a district of Bristol). I will ask her about it.
I know 'gay' was the playground insult of choice in the playground of one of the junior schools where grandchildren went. Sorry to hear it's the same in NZ.
I've asked Stonewall whether I can buy a copy of the DVD. I hope they will sell it to their supporters. If I get a copy I might do a review of it here.
Location: USA
Registered: November 2008
Messages: 973
Kiwi,
I have seen TV commercials and heard radio announcements regarding the usage of "gay" among the young. The name of the organization that puts out this material escapes me at the moment, but I believe that it's the same outfit that started the Gay Straight Alliances in schools. I'm proud to say that there is one of those in the school my son attends. But they don't mention it in the handbook that lists all the organizations that students may join. Go figure.
Max
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1 NASB
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
Max, I believe you are speaking about GLSEN, The Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network...a wonderful educational organization in the US that attempts to educate both teachers and students about homophobia.
I also have a problem with the current usage kids make of the word 'gay', as in 'that's so gay.' My fourteen year old niece used that in front of me and I replied 'ugly.' As in 'you are so ugly when you say that.' Every time she said it I replied 'ugly' and it took several months for her to get the message.
She was ugly in saying it, and the usage is ugly. If she can say 'that's so gay' in front of a gay man then I am going to spend the rest of my life calling her ugly, I told her and her sister it was their choice.
The usage will never go away unless teachers and school officials prohibit it as hate speech. Most kids at that age have no idea if one of their peers is gay, most kids that age have doubts if they do have gay feelings. Offending them is ugly, and hateful and...I could go on all day.
But we all know about the 'N' word, it was a part of American culture for over a century and has now been suppressed. In some ways I see 'that's so gay' as a replacement for denigrating someone, putting them down. We can only hope it goes the other way. Imagine a school full of kids saying 'that's so ugly,' I could live with that.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
Thank you, Brody...that's it exactly.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
Kiwi, I asked my daughter and she tells me that she would stamp down pretty hard on anything that smacked of gay bullying if it came to her attention and that she can't remember it happening.
I do think that Clifton High School is a bit exceptional.
] 
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Stonewall UK Releases Film For Schools To Tackle Homophobia 
Max & Chris, Here's this contribution to your discussion: 
