STUDENT VOICE

PRIDE SQUAD NEWS

Safe Schools

Background

In 2010, the Victorian Government established Safe Schools to make sure schools are safe places for all students, including LGBTI students.

Safe Schools is now managed and delivered directly by the Department of Education and Training

This month the Department released a Guide to making your school safe and inclusive for LGBTI students.

Given recent publicity about Safe Schools, I felt it important to clarify the Meaning of Safe Schools. The following myths and facts are taken from the publication

Myth 1 : The Safe Schools program is a compulsory part of the school curriculum.

Fact: Safe Schools is not part of the Victorian Curriculum-it’s a commitment that schools make to be inclusive places for all students, including LGBTI students. The Department of Education and Training provides information, resources and professional learning that have been developed by experts for school staff to use as they see fit to prevent discrimination against LGBTI students.

Myth 2: The Safe Schools program is teaching sex education and/or sexual practices to students, including material that is not age appropriate.

Fact: Safe schools is not a sex education program, nor does it teach sexual practices. The Safe Schools program simply seeks to create safe and inclusive environments for LGBTI students.

In 2016 McClelland College made a commitment to being a Safe School and The Government has committed to expanding the program to all government secondary schools by the end of 2018.

Once a term Frankston Mornington Peninsula Action Group meets to provide a forum for schools and local support organisations to come together to share where we are at with our commitment in creating a safe and inclusive environment.

Alison Ward and myself (Robyn Andrews) along with 2 students from the Pride Squad attended the most recent meeting. We shared ideas and plans for Wear it purple day, discussed – How  the Frankston City Council is supporting the  LGBTI community, Peninsula Pride and how it is supporting young people, School nurses and welfare organisations and what support they can offer to young people and a Department of Education and Training representative was also present to hear about the great work that is being done in schools.