The program is funded by the federal government and will be available to teachers next year
Targeted at Year 7 and 8 students (12/13 years olds), All of US is the first resource of its kind to be launched and funded by the Australian federal government’s Department of Education.
The practical teaching kit was commissioned by LGBTI youth group Minus 18 and Safe Schools Coalition Australia which has more than 470 member schools dedicated to promoting LGBT diversity and acceptance in schools and reducing bullying against same-sex attracted and gender diverse students.
‘All Of Us has been developed to have a real impact on student attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people and to encourage whole school change that affirms and supports the right of all students, staff and families to feel safe at school,’ says the official website.
Comprising seven video lessons, student handouts and posters, the program will form part of the health and physical education curriculum, and available for download and to all schools in both the public and private sector.
The videos explore the impact of homophobia and transphobia on students and schools, and explain what it’s like for a transgender young person to come out and affirm their gender.
Claiming that the Safe Schools Coalition Australia will ‘teach kids gay and lesbian techniques’, the Australian Christian Lobby has called for the program to be axed, the Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier this month.
Sally Richardson, national program director of Safe Schools said the latest resource has been driven and developed by teachers, and was in response to teachers who have for a long time asked for ‘additional support in the classroom to help teach topics of gender diversity, sexual diversity and intersex.’