Thousands of Schools Kick Off School Diversity Week Celebrations to Make Education More Inclusive
Thousands of schools across the UK have begun celebrating LGBT+ equality with their pupils this School Diversity Week, organised by charity Just Like Us, to make education more inclusive.
School Diversity Week, the annual celebration of LGBT+ equality in education run by Just Like Us, runs 21-25 June and provides schools with free resources, including free online masterclasses on LGBT+ history as well as a panel featuring a lesbian rabbi, a gay imam and a trans priest on faith being LGBT+.
Churwell Primary and Guiseley School in Leeds as well as St Peter’s School in York are among thousands of schools celebrating School Diversity Week to let their pupils know that it’s OK to be LGBT+ or have a LGBT+ family, and the importance of being an ally.
Churwell Primary is celebrating School Diversity Week with a LGBT+ inclusive dance lesson that challenges gender stereotypes with their pupils.
St Peter’s School in York is celebrating School Diversity Week with Rainbow Friday – an opportunity for pupils to wear a colour of the Pride flag if they wish to. The school said: “The children will be learning about different cultures, experiences and the importance of trying to understand everyone’s point of view no matter their background.”
Guiseley School has changed its school logo to a Pride version and said: “This week, Guiseley staff and students are celebrating School Diversity Week as part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month!
“At Guiseley, we're proud of all of our students but extra proud this month! Be proud of who you are! Happy Pride to all of our students!”
Thousands of primary schools, secondary schools and colleges across the UK will be celebrating in a variety of ways from assemblies and talks to displays, bake sales and LGBT+ lessons.
Run by Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, School Diversity Week is a chance to send a positive message to young people about being LGBT+ pupils, who have been twice as likely as their peers to be feeling lonely and worrying about their mental health daily during the pandemic.
The charity’s recent report, Growing Up LGBT+, independently surveyed almost 3,000 young people across the UK and found that pupils whose schools had positive messaging about being LGBT+ also had reduced suicidal thoughts and feelings – regardless of whether they are LGBT+ or not.
74% of LGBT+ pupils who have never had positive messaging from their school about being LGBT+ have contemplated suicide but this drops to 65% when their school provides strong positive messaging about being LGBT+.
Non-LGBT+ pupils also benefit from LGBT+ inclusion in school – 33% of non-LGBT+ pupils who have never had positive messaging at school have contemplated suicide but this drops to 28% when there is strong positive messaging in their school.
One school pupil, Morgan, who is 18 and goes to a school that is celebrating School Diversity Week, said: “My rocky path towards realising I was not only transgender, but also a gay man, was one paved with self-doubt and hatred, fuelled by the world around me.
“Events such as School Diversity Week and LGBT History Month increase the visibility of LGBT+ role models like me and my friends within schools, among students and teachers alike, and show that there’s a place for us in the world.”
Dominic Arnall, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, said: “We’ve seen in our independent research that LGBT+ young people are disproportionately struggling with their mental health, feeling less safe in school and facing more tension at home.
“We’re delighted that thousands of schools across the UK are celebrating School Diversity Week this week and ensuring that young people get the message that: LGBT+ people exist and that’s OK. It may sound simple, but the message can be transformational – our independent research found that having positive messaging about being LGBT+ in schools is linked with all pupils having better mental health, whether they’re LGBT+ or not.”
Thousands of primary schools, secondary schools and colleges across the UK are taking part in School Diversity Week this 21-25 to support pupils who may be LGBT+ or have LGBT+ families, and to champion the importance of being an ally. More information available at www.justlikeus.org.
Just Like Us’ report, Growing Up LGBT+, can be downloaded here: https://www.justlikeus.org/single-post/growing-up-lgbt-just-like-us-research-report
