Posted on 12/29/2006 8:33:07 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
Schools that fail to show enthusiasm in rooting out prejudice against homosexuals should be reported to the police by pupils and parents, a Home Office report recommended yesterday.
It called for parents and children to identify schools that ignore "homophobic" language in the playground and teachers who produce "homophobic" lessons.
And it called for head teachers to bring lessons about "homophobia" on to school timetables and to involve their pupils in gay "awareness weeks".
The advice from Home Secretary John Reid's officials comes at a time of deep concern among churches that new gay rights laws due next spring will bar traditional teaching on sexual morality in schools and force them instead to include gay rights dogma in lessons.
The paper on "homophobic hate crime" is aimed at guiding police forces, local authorities, social services and schools among other public bodies.
It defined homophobia - a word invented by gay lobby groups to apply to their critics - as "resentment, or fear, of gay and lesbian people" which "can be just a passive dislike of gay people".
The report asked police and other groups to consider whether homophobia is happening in schools and in lessons.
It said: "Schools can be a little concerned about a negative impact on their reputation, that it would be perceived as a school which has problems rather than one which deals with them positively."
Urging that school incidents be reported to a "hate crime co-ordinator", the report said: "It would be dangerous to assume that homophobic incidents to not occur in a particular school as victims and witnesses might be too worried or frightened to bring the abuse to greater attention."
It called for reporting systems to "allow pupils and parents to make referrals direct if they feel the school is not taking the issue seriously."
The report added: "The seriousness of using homophobic language is not fully appreciated in schools.
"Whilst it is probably made clear to pupils that the use of racist language is unacceptable, the same is not true for use of homophobic language.
"However, constant use of such language and homophobic crimes and incidents will have an effect on pupils' ability to learn, or willingness to stay on in schools."
The Home Office advice also said that "it should be possible to find times working within each year group's timetable to slot in work on citizenship and homophobia".
Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: "Any form of crime motivated by prejudice or hate is unacceptable.
"People who commit homophobic crime need to know their prejudices and actions will be tackled."
He added: "We know that hate crime can get worse if it goes unchallenged. That is why gay people need to feel they can come forward to the police."
The report also contained an endorsement from Lancashire Assistant Chief Constable Michaal Cunningham, who said: "The implementation of this guidance will assist in bringing offenders to justice and making individuals and communities feel safer."
Last week Mr Cunningham's force paid £50,000 in legal costs and damages to an elderly couple, Joe and Helen Roberts, who were questioned in their home by two of its officers after they complained to the local councils about its gay rights policies and asked for a right of reply for their traditional Christian beliefs.
Lancashire police have brought in guidance warning officers to avoid being influenced by political groups because of the case.
Colin Hart of the Christian Institute think tank that backed the Roberts said yesterday: "There is an element of desperation about this advice.
"No-one wants to see any kind of bullying in schools. But this is not about bullying of pupils who others think are homosexual. It is about punishing schools unless they try to stop pupils using "gay" as a perjorative word."
Gay lobby groups are deeply upset about the use of "homophobic" language in schools, partly because of the common use by teenagers of the word 'gay' as an insult regardless of the perceived sexual orientation of the individual they are insulting.
The Home Office guidance also said that gay lobby groups could set up "third party reporting centres" to pass to police details of "homophobic" incidents which gay individuals themselves have been too scared to report to police.
Police should then record the names and details of individuals passed on by gay lobby groups, it said.
You like government indoctrination.
Believe me, FRiend. It is a bad thing these days. Let it go.
Visualize liberty.
Become an American in heart, mind and spirit.
I think the term 'Politically Correct' is a dangerous euphamism that is causing us to overlook the reality of what is happening.
Well said!!!!!!!!!
Hpoe so!!!
Does anybody know whether this means you can or cannot use the word gay around queers in the UK?
This is just plain dumb.
Great tag line!
first....this is america and I don't have to like anyone that I don't want to....GET OVER IT!
secons....homophobia is based in christianity and its view that it is a sin and unnatural and an abomination...so messing with this IMO is mixing church and state! that is a NO NO!!!
Ping-- to both lists.
To take a jab at a quote from one of my favorite video games, "I am PC, Destroyer of Worlds!"
I'm not a homophobe: I'm not afraid of gays, I just don't like them...
I am not a homohobe either. I have male and female friends that are gay. They know that I do not agree with their lifestyle and they also know about my Christian beliefs and background. We get along just fine as long as they leave their boyfriend/girlfriend and what they like to do out of all conversations.
"It's big brother. And boy, is he big. Now report that nasty little homophobe to the size queen."
Freepmail wagglebee or little jeremiah to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda or moral absolutes ping lists.
FreeRepublic homosexual agenda keyword search
[ Add keyword homosexual agenda to flag FR articles to this ping list ]
FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]
This is unbelievable. Two thoughts immediately pop up:
1. Homosexuals can create their own hate crimes, as they have often done in the past, as well as falsely accuse others of saying mean things.
2. They didn't like us to use the words "faggot", "queer" (although they often use those words themselves), or "homosexual". We were all supposed to use the word "gay". Now they don't want us to use the word "gay" any more. What's left? Sodomite? Is that okay?
Absolutely hilarious. If anything will cement the use of homophobic language in the schoolyard, this is it.
I keep forgetting, the UK doesn't have a first amendment.
Stupid ghey jerks!
Reminds me of the old bumper sticker, "Nuke the unborn gay whales".
Another favorite: "SAVE THE WHALES. Collect the whole set."
>>Any form of crime motivated by prejudice or hate is unacceptable. <<
Otherwise it's A-OK!
Removal of "Homosexuality" from the DSM was purely a political move, and not based on any empirical evidence that it is not a mental disorder. Shame on the APA for this political blunder.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.