Guidance is still not enough

10.18.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Sep 2008

"Simply issuing schools with guidance on tackling homophobic bullying is not enough", said DELGA chair Jen Yockney today on hearing a government claim to have acted to tackle all kinds of bulling in schools.

"Government minister Ed Balls told the Labour conference this week that the government 'have acted' on bullying of every kind in every school. Yet a recent Stonewall survey found that just 23% of all UK schools explicitly condemn homophobic bullying.

"We don't simply need the government to issue guidance, because as welcome as it is, the schools which will opt-in are those which would be most likely to tackle homophobia anyway. It is time for homophobia, biphobia and transphobia to be tackled just as seriously as racism - both in our schools and in wider society."