One proposal is to address discrimination over about same-sex ball dates Preventing schools from banning same-sex ball dates and introducing national sex-ed standards are among Labour’s proposed rainbow policies heading into the next election. The policy proposal document Labour will consider at its annual conference in Christchurch this weekend includes extra amendments that may be considered. In the Rainbow section is a pledge to support queer students in schools and combat bullying, as well as sorting out adoption laws and glaring transgender rights recommendations. One proposal is to enact a national sex and sexuality education programme. It would include a minimum standard for all state-funded schools, and encourage parent-engagement. Labour will also consider reducing discrimination in schools by banning Boards of Trustees “from restricting the attendance of same-sex partners at school balls”. Another proposal is a policy aimed at taking action to eradicate discrimination, violence and bullying, and to combat suicide and self-harm. It would do this by improving the pastoral support given to queer youth in schools. It would also introduce mandatory anti-bullying reporting requirements, on which schools would have to report to the Education Review Office. An appeal of the outdated Adoption Act and reform of the Care of Children Act are also up for discussion, as is implementing the outstanding recommendations from the Human Right’s Commission’s 2008 report To Be Who I Am, which looked at discrimination faced by transgender/transsexual New Zealanders.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 29th October 2013 - 2:46pm