Schools OUT UK (SOUK)

Schools OUT UK is an education charity that began life as The Gay Teachers Association in 1974. Our overarching goal is to make our schools and educational institutions safe spaces for our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) communities as teachers, lecturers and trainers; as pupils and students; as parents; as teaching and learning support staff; as site-officers, catering and cleaning staff; and as headteachers, managers and governors. There is no other organisation that supports such a wide community in attaining such a wide, yet simple overarching goal. 1. Our over-arching aim is to make our schools safe and inclusive for everyone. To do this we need: 2. To provide both a formal and informal support network for all people who want to raise the issue of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and heterosexism in education. 3. To campaign on lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans issues as they affect education and those in education. 4. To research, debate and stimulate curriculum development on LGBT issues. 5. To work towards unison between teacher and lecturer unions and other professional stakeholders in education 6. To promote equality, safety and visibility in education for LGBT people and all the protected characteristics As part of this goal we recognise the need to be inclusive and to recognise the needs and rights of all the characteristics listed as protected under the Equality Act of 2010. We also recognise the need to make LGBT+ people visible in our schools and in the wider community.