In a new 2024 survey report, Belong To reveals that the majority of primary school staff in Ireland support LGBTQ+ inclusivity. However, there remains an imbalance when it comes to instituting formal school support for queer students.
From March to May of 2023 the survey collected responses from primary school staff from across Ireland, asking about their experience, attitudes, knowledge levels, practices, and professional needs regarding LGBTQ+ inclusivity. This new research was conducted in partnership with the School of Education, University of Limerick (UL), and funded by the Irish Research Council. The Department of Education distributed the survey via its database of contact point email addresses to all 3,231 primary schools in Ireland, major school management bodies, and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO).
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Out of 1,031 responses collected from principals, deputy principals, class teachers, assistants, and support staff, 90% believe it’s important for those working in primary schools to know about LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Additionally, 91% of staff members responded that students should learn about anti-LGBTQ+ bullying and 85% think that LGBTQ+ and heterosexual characters should be equally included in primary lessons.
80% report feeling comfortable with a student coming out as LGBTQ+.
However, a clear gap is visible in this research because even though most staff have expressed inclusivity of LGBTQ+ students and practices, they report lacking guidance, support, and training. For years educators have been calling for a change to the school system and guidance from the Department of Education to help institute new inclusive practices.
57% of primary school staff have never taken part in LGBTQ+-specific professional development while 56% work at schools with either no formal school support or are unsure of supports in place for students. Additionally, 33% of teaching staff never use books and resources representing queer people.
“Changes need to come from the top down–or else small efforts made by individual teachers will be lost and not continued from class to class,” the report states.
“Findings show that primary school staff want to be LGBTQ+ inclusive. But they lack training, guidance and knowledge to translate inclusivity into the classroom.”
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Following a 2022 report finding that 76% of LGBTQ+ students in Ireland reported feeling unsafe at school, it is imperative now more than ever that we seek inclusive resources and training to support all primary school students. So what can be done to fix this gap?
In open questions posed throughout the survey, staff called for: a primary curriculum that specifically names LGBTQ+ identities and topics; training on LGBTQ+ identities and experiences; and guidance on supporting a pupil coming out as LGBTQ+.
© 2024 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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