INTO LGBT Group in 2008 Pride March 21/6/08

Statement by Declan Kelleher, INTO President, Supporting the INTO Lesbian Gay Bisexual Teachers (LGBT) Group in the Gay Pride March

Dublin, 21 June 2008
 
“In an open fair and tolerant society no individual teacher should have to disguise their sexual orientation.”
 
Under current Irish legislation primary school authorities can discriminate against teachers seeking employment in schools under religious control. This licence to discriminate is unfair and should be terminated forthwith.
 
Section 37 (1) of the Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004.) allows for discrimination against teachers whose lifestyle is perceived as undermining the religious ethos of the school.  This permits a school which promotes certain religious values to take action which is seen as reasonably necessary to prevent an employee or a prospective employee from undermining the religious ethos of the institution.
 
Teachers whose lifestyle is perceived to be at variance with the ethos of the school in which he or she is employed could find themselves being dismissed or passed over for promotion.  Many teachers feel that were they to live openly as gay or lesbian teachers that this could be construed as undermining the religious ethos of the school leading to discrimination.  
 
That this clause exists in legislation in the Republic of Ireland in the 21st century beggars belief. It casts a long shadow over many teachers who fear that the possibility of dismissal might become a reality. Many cannot afford to risk being open about their sexuality in schools.
 
It is time this unfair legislation was repealed.
 
It is legislation like this that contributes to the undercurrent in Irish society which tends to mock and castigate lesbian, gay and bisexual persons both in the workplace and in the community at large. As a society we need to confront this dark reality. It is time for all right minded people to call for an immediate end to such conduct. Silence is not neutral. It can and often does mask homophobia.
 
All right minded people must seek and end to the homophobia that forces many people to live in isolation, alienation and harassment. We should be actively seeking an end to discrimination and downright bigotry not passively accepting of it.
 
Schools could do much to combat prejudice in society. There is much that needs to be done in helping to correct the attitudes towards gay and lesbian persons which many children picked up from parents, other adults and wider society. Children from a very young age are able to use words such as "gay" and "lesbian" in a derogatory and hurtful fashion towards fellow pupils.
 
A good start to helping schools to do this successfully would be to remove the fear of discrimination that hangs over many gay and lesbian teachers in schools. Schools cannot realistically teach about being fair and respectful to all human beings when equality legislation allows discrimination.
 
In an open fair and tolerant society no individual teacher or worker should have to disguise their sexual orientation. It is time to alter this reality of modern Irish society.
 
ENDS.