PRESS STATEMENT
21 September 2007
CES emphasises that all forms of bullying are intolerable
The Catholic Education Service (CES) has expressed its broad support for new guidance in the Government’s series on preventing bullying. This new guidance deals with the prevention of homophobic bullying in schools and colleges.
“Any form of bullying is intolerable, and we are united with the Government in our desire to make schools and colleges safe places for all”, said Oona Stannard, Chief Executive and Director of the CES.
She went on to say: “We have been pleased, alongside other faith representatives, to work with the Government as it develops anti-bullying guidance. The DCSF is aware of our already successful strategies to eliminate bullying in Catholic schools. At the heart of a successful school lies respect for the dignity of the individual and bullying has no place in such communities.”
“The church is very firm about this. It was made clear, for example, by Cardinal Hume in 1997: “Nothing in the church's teaching can be said to support or sanction, even implicitly, the victimisation of homosexual men and women. Furthermore, ‘homophobia’ should have no place among Catholics. Catholic teaching on homosexuality is not founded on, and can never be used to justify, homophobic attitudes.””
Ms Stannard ended by saying that all schools should have rigorous anti-bullying policies and update them regularly, ensuring that staff have the necessary professional development so that they are skilled to prevent and eradicate any form of bullying.
ENDS
For more information please contact Laura McCann, Policy and Briefing Officer t: 0207 901 4854 e: lmccann@cesew.org.uk w. www.cesew.org.uk.
55% of Catholic primary schools scored excellent or very good on “freedom from bullying” measures compared with 44% of other schools; the figure at secondary level is 41% for Catholic schools compared with 28% of other schools (Quality and Performance: A Survey of Education in Catholic Schools, 2006).
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