The General Manager of RainbowYOUTH says Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O-Connor has “a real chance to set a precedence with how LGBTI students and issues are dealt with at schools in New Zealand in the future” given the high profile of the school. Duncan Matthews' comments come after the school was slammed by past and current gay pupils for having a culture of homophobia among the staff and student body. The homophobic school culture was highlighted on the new blog GrammarPride, which allows past and present pupils to share their experiences. Creators of the blog say school leaders have already begun to address issues the pupils has brought to their attention. Matthews says he congratulates and supports those who have written on the blog, “I think its excellent that a dialogue on this issue has been started, and that it is being engaged with in a respectful manner by the leadership of Auckland Grammar. “There is a number of things Auckland Grammar can do to address these concerns, depending on what will suit the environment. There are existing programmes such as the RainbowYOUTH education programme or Inside Out video resources for use in school, professional development specifically for staff and faculty, or the Rainbow Tick. “There is also things Auckland Grammar can do themselves, such as consult with their students and their whānau on how to more fully integrate the updated Health
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 13th January 2016 - 11:35am