Britain's first school for LGBT pupils

[Solomon1]

Just found this on the interweb...

 

 

Amazing what people will do in order to 'do the right thing'

 

People should just be who they are

[Tyranna]

The idea of a LGBT school seems well-intentioned at first, but I don't think it will be in ANYONE'S best interests to go ahead with this. It woul d be far better to make EVERY SCHOOL safe for LGBT pupils and to ensure that ALL pupils at EVERY school have the opportunity to fully understand, and accept their fellow members of society who are LGBT or intersexual and that whatever your sexuality (Or even lack of it, in cases of asexuals), you should be treated as an equal member of society.

 

'Segregated' LGBT schools will also send out a negative message to countries where LGBT is tolerated but still regarded as abnormal, and where they might be encouraged to 'lock away' LGBT children in a seperate category of educational provision, so denying them full interaction with their peers. Indeed, I might go so far as to have the opinion that ALL 'segregated' fulltime schooling such as specific religious denominations should be ended (e.g. the Islamic schools row in Birmingham, etc.) should end, with the exception of evening/weekend classes such as Sunday schools, Talmudic, 'madrasa' etc. type schools, for the purposes of one's own special religious education.

 

 

 

I feel the same about a night out here in Sheffield for adults with special needs. My daughter has special needs and goes to a 'proper' night club if she wants to.

 

 

FYI, I am setting up a nationwide network for LGBT people with autism and Aspergers Syndrome, which will include meetings on the Gay Scene, at Prides, etc. so feel free if anyone is interested and wants to PM me.

[woodmally]

As a gay man I was very interested to read about the possibility of a school to open in Manchester to cater for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered pupils who have been bullied in mainstream education

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2912249/Britain-s-gay-school-Youth-group-unveils-controversial-plan-help-bullied-LGBT-pupils-Manchester.html

 

I genuinely have mixed feelings about this. I'm against ghettoising people with regards to public services (be it in the provision of education, or housing on the basis of religion or any other grounds), and feel that such a school for youngsters is an admission of failure on the part of mainstream education.

However with the sad case of Ayden Olson (young gay teen driven to suicide) being one of many deaths that are swept under the carpet, I can see something needs to be done.

 

If there is to be segregation, why not have a school for the bullies and the teachers who do nothing to stop it happening, and let gay kids benefit from integration? I know that's a provocative way of putting it, but it honestly sums up how I feel.

 

It is segregation pure and simple and also may be unworkable. For example many young boys and girls find difficulty coming out to their parents and they will have to in order to get moved to this school.

 

To top it all we need to fight predjudice and solve the problem rather than pander to the homophobic right wing.

[cgksheff]

Could the Mods please replace my post?

 

There is not going to be any LGBT school that parents can apply to send their children to.

There is going to be a unit, to which students that are suffering from bullying etc. (not just LGBT) be referred as an alternative for up to one year.

 

Thanks to the group setting the unit up, it will be especially sensitive to LGBT students, but it will not be exclusively for such needs.

[Mister M]

Could the Mods please replace my post?

 

There is not going to be any LGBT school that parents can apply to send their children to.

There is going to be a unit, to which students that are suffering from bullying etc. (not just LGBT) be referred as an alternative for up to one year.

 

Thanks to the group setting the unit up, it will be especially sensitive to LGBT students, but it will not be exclusively for such needs.

 

Thanks for clarifying this. I guess I need to be clearer about the facts before posting!

It is a good idea to have such a unit, that will help all pupils whose self esteem has been damaged by mainstream education. Though those schools who are seemingly unwilling / incapable of stamping out bullying shouldn't see this as the easy option, and just refer vulnerable pupils. Rather they should do everything in their power to make schools safe for all our kids

[Halibut]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

---------- Post added 19-01-2015 at 13:46 ----------

 

I don't think there should be segregation at all.

 

It is of my opinion that our young should tolerate, understand and respect each other more and more with each passing generation. In order to do that, they need to be integrated..

 

Education is THE most important thing in a young persons life. Even the bully's!

 

It's the older generations prejudices that need addressing.

 

There shouldn't be a need for a resource like this, but there is. Bullying shouldn't happen but it does. Are you really suggesting that children who are suffering bullying to the point where they are self harming or feeling suicidal should be made to stay in that toxic situation?

[rollwithit]

I suppose not. But lots of young people are confused by their own sexuality and I cannot imagine that very many are absolutely sure at age 11 nor 13 that they are in the wrong body and that they will only be happy when they have changed gender.

 

---------- Post added 18-01-2015 at 18:52 ----------

 

 

Attitudes like this go a long way to explaining why some people feel there is an urgent need for schools of the kind OP is describing.

 

Have you always been a homophone abuser, rollwithit?

 

Nope. As a tax payer, I don't want my earnings wasted. Kids are there to learn an education for employment not how to socialise. They can do that in their own time.

 

When I went to the school in the 80s, that's when it started going down hill. They did away with school uniform, went to group style teaching to encourage pupils to have an opinion etc. When it should have been every one confirming to one goal = learning an education, and the only bully's should have been the teachers.

 

Though I did discuss this with an old school pal. He believed that experiencing bullying at school from both a victim and perpetrator is a learning curve in itself. If you never experience it in your youth, how can you deal with it in the big wide world? I had to accept some of his point of view.

[Mister M]

Nope. As a tax payer, I don't want my earnings wasted. Kids are there to learn an education for employment not how to socialise. They can do that in their own time.

 

When I went to the school in the 80s, that's when it started going down hill. They did away with school uniform, went to group style teaching to encourage pupils to have an opinion etc. When it should have been every one confirming to one goal = learning an education, and the only bully's should have been the teachers.

 

Though I did discuss this with an old school pal. He believed that experiencing bullying at school from both a victim and perpetrator is a learning curve in itself. If you never experience it in your youth, how can you deal with it in the big wide world? I had to accept some of his point of view.

 

Disagree with most, if not all of your post:

Education in it's broadest sense includes the social and emotional development of youngsters, as well as their intellectual development. If their emotional & social development is damaged by bullying, you can't expect them to develop intellectually to their potential.

Teachers shouldn't bully. No - one should. If a teacher cannot control people / a class without bullying, then they shouldn't be teachers.

Bullying isn't character building in the sense you learn how to deal with situations. For many bullying can be crippling, from which you learn nothing, except negativity.

As a taxpayer, I want functioning, well balanced individuals. Not bullies or victims.

[Chelle-82]

There shouldn't be a need for a resource like this, but there is. Bullying shouldn't happen but it does. Are you really suggesting that children who are suffering bullying to the point where they are self harming or feeling suicidal should be made to stay in that toxic situation?

 

Where did I suggest that?

[Halibut]

Where did I suggest that?

 

You strongly implied it when you said -

 

''I don't think there should be segregation at all.

 

It is of my opinion that our young should tolerate, understand and respect each other more and more with each passing generation. In order to do that, they need to be integrated.. ''