Children's Express interviewed those most affected by Section 28: other children
| Homosexuality is no one else’s business apart from your own. It’s private. It’s personal. |
Anna Bradshaw, 16, Sheffield
Gay issues should be taught in school. This would be better than people learning about it in fictional TV series. If children in school have any concerns about being gay there is no one to talk to.
Talking about homosexuality should be really important in making young people more aware of the issues. People who think they are gay, keep it locked inside because they're afraid of being beaten up.
Even an adult who should have known better made a clever comment when they saw me and a friend, arm in arm. She said, with a sneer on her face: 'Put each other down, people may start jumping to conclusions.' It's a throwaway comment like that that stops people talking about gay issues at school. People should be respected no matter what sex they fancy.
Sonia McAthey, 11, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
You should be taught about homosexuality at an earlier age so you know what the consequences are if you're gay. People get called names all the time because of the way they look. It's usually big kids calling younger kids names. Teachers should suspend them.
If somebody was openly gay at school they'd probably be treated like shit. Homosexuality is no one else's business apart from your own. It's private. It's personal.
Ian Kennedy, 18, Birmingham:
I dont agree with Clause 28. Its important that young people know about sex and where it could lead them. I should think most children and teachers are repulsed by the idea of being homosexual but its important that anything children need to know is available to them. Then hopefully they will come to a less judgmental view of homosexuality.
I think you need specialist teachers to come into school because most teachers arent comfortable teaching sex education. Students find it uncomfortable learning about sex from teachers they have for other lessons. In schools theres a tendency for students to criticise anyone who's different. Children can be very cruel to someone who doesnt fit in.
About the team
This article was produced by the Children's Express members named above. It was published in The Observer.
