Funding for projects dealing with LGBT bullying in English schools has been pulled by the UK Government.
The school programmes were aimed to target issues involving homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. The government previously pledged to continue investing in LGBT projects. This also comes after ministers admit those in the LGBT community face a higher risk of bullying and causing long-term harm.
What was named The Homophobic, Biphobic and Transphobic Challenge Fund, the programme started in 2014 and was well-received within schools. Non-compulsory and costing the government £4million, it gave teachers, staff and students the opportunity to receive free training and workshops.
The workshop providers, students, their parents and their teachers, had been expecting the funding to continue. Officials of The Government Equalities Office say they are “fully aware of the serious impact anti-LGBT bullying can have on educational attainment, absence levels, emotional wellbeing and mental health.”
The announcement came yesterday during the anniversary of Section 28 being repealed, a law passed in 1988 by a Conservative government that stopped councils and schools “promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.”
The bad timing has caused an uproar online; Twitter had #SchoolLGBT trending today as it came during Anti Bullying Week. It also came on the same day Boris Johnson announced a £16billion spending boost on the British military.
LGBT charities such as Stonewall UK and Mermaids took to Twitter to share their disapproval and concern on the funding being stopped.
The LGBT charity, Metro, initially received government funding in 2016. Dr Greg Ussher, Metro’s CEO, told the BBC that “most schools” were unable to proceed with the LGBT programmes without funding.
“We were able to work directly with over 200 schools, train over 4,000 staff, as well as engage students in school-wide equalities activities.
“Government funding meant that schools could have this support for free, but they now need to find funds from their already stretched budgets,” he said.
Twitter user, Patrick Calver, sent a tweet describing the bullying he received whilst at school as a closeted gay man.
The Labour Party’s official LGBT Twitter page posted a tweet saying “The fight is never over.”
Charities and members of the LGBT community hope for a turnaround as countless petitions have been made in the hope to change the government’s plans.
There is yet to be a response from the UK government following the online backlash.
