More than four in ten teachers have personally experienced
homophobia, biphobia or transphobia at work in the last year, the
NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union has found.
While there is evidence some positive steps are being made in
ensuring schools are inclusive and supportive for LGBTI staff and
pupils, a real-time electronic poll of teachers attending the
Union’s LGBTI Teachers’ Consultation Conference, which took place
on Saturday in Birmingham, found that many schools and colleges
are still failing to tackle homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
The poll found that:
More than four in ten (41%) teachers said they have personally
experienced homophobia, biphobia or transphobia at work in the
last year;
Four in ten said they had witnessed homophobic, biphobic or
transphobic incidents against other colleagues at work. 17% said
they had witnessed such incidents on many occasions;
Less than half (48%) of teachers said they feel safe or
comfortable to be out in their workplace to all staff, pupils and
parents. More than one in ten (13%) do not feel safe to be out at
all to anyone in their school or college;
While over three-quarters (77%) said they would feel confident
about reporting homophobia, biphobia or transphobia to their
employer, one in ten still said they would not have confidence to
report such abuse;
Nearly a quarter (23%) said it would be left solely to LGBTI
staff to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in their
school or college. 44% said senior leaders and staff would take
responsibility for challenging this type of abuse;
42% said that having a zero tolerance policy on homophobic,
biphobic and transphobic abuse was the most important step
schools and colleges should take to make sure they are inclusive
for LGBTI staff and pupils. 29% said having an LGBT+ inclusive
curriculum was the most important step for schools and colleges
to take.
Chris Keates, Acting General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“While it was heartening to hear some of the examples of good
practice and positive experiences shared at the conference by
LGBTI teachers, it is worrying that discriminatory and prejudiced
behaviours remain so commonplace in our schools.
“While being out at school or college is a personal choice,
teachers should not feel uncomfortable or unsafe to be themselves
in the workplace and no teacher should be facing abuse or
hostility because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“Schools should be safe environments where staff and students of
all sexual and gender identities feel included and respected.
Where LGBTI equality is not mainstreamed into the work of a
school this is unlikely be to the case.
“We need greater support for schools in taking forward this work
and action where schools do not promote a culture of
inclusiveness.”
