GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION
One common thread that runs through almost all feminist campaigns
is the issue of education. Where do the rapists (and the jurors,
and judges, lawyers and police officers) learn the misogynist attitudes
that underlie both male violence against women, and the 5% conviction
rate for reported rape? What attitudes and esteem issues underlie
the epidemic of eating disorders and self harm among young women, and
the seemingly relentless march of sexualisation of young girls and
women in our society? Why do young people who are keen to explore
working in non-traditional jobs find it so difficult to fulfil their
ambitions? Why does our society equate masculinity with being 'tough' and 'violent'? Why are basic human rights such as the right not to be
forced into marriage, or mutilated genitally, still not being
recognised in some families?
In common with many other campaigners against inequality in society, the members of Bristol Fawcett are convinced that the key to positive change lies in education. All around us, the legacy of women and girls' historical position as subordinate to men and boys in our society prevails. Women were only granted the right to vote in living memory, and it is less than 20 years since rape within marriage became illegal in England. Paternity leave recognising the caring role of new fathers was only introduced in 2003. Against this backdrop, it has been 'business as usual' for children and young people at home and in school, and compared with changes in policy and legislation, the pace of social change has been glacial.
In October 2010 the End Violence Against Women coalition commissioned a YouGov Poll which found that 71% of 16-18 year olds experience daily or weekly sexual harassment. Furthermore, 1 in 3 girls say they've experienced unwanted sexual touching. 24% of respondents say that they have never been told by teachers that behaviours such as unwanted sexual touching, sharing of sexual pictures or sexual name-calling are unacceptable.
Professor Liz Kelly, chair of the End Violence Against Women Coalition said: "Schools are failing in their ethical and legal responsibility to challenge all forms of violence against women and girls and provide safe and supportive environments for female students."
Bristol Fawcett want to support Bristol schools to actively challenge gender inequality and violence against women and girls.
In April 2007 the Gender Equality Duty (GED) came into force, following the success of the Race Equality Duty which had been put in place following the wake-up call to society represented by the inquiry into Stephen Lawrence's racist murder. The GED - and its replacement, the Public Sector Equality Duty - require all public bodies - including schools - to actively promote gender equality, and act to eliminate harassment and discrimination based on gender. The GED also required schools to publish schemes and action plans for doing this. Read on to find out what Bristol Fawcett have been doing to promote gender equality in schools, or use the links at the top left of this page to access further links and resources.
November 2007: Bristol Fawcett invited the Council's outgoing Equalities Manager (Children and Young People - with responsibility for gender) to brief us on gender equality issues in Bristol schools.
February 2008: Bristol City Council's management decide to cull their in-house CYPS equalities and inclusion team, despite the fact that the existing team had already not had the capacity to support schools to meet their new statutory gender equality duties. The city would be left with no staff advising on gender equality in education. Bristol Fawcett identified a number of serious failings in the proposed review, which we set out in a response to the Council and which were ignored.
April 2008: Bristol Fawcett wrote to the Interim Equalities and Inclusion Manager pointing out that through internet searches as well as individual telephone calls to several schools we had been unsuccessful in locating a single gender equality scheme published by any Bristol school - a year after the deadline for producing GESs. Under the Freedom of Information Act, we requested a list of Bristol schools with details of their published GESs. This list was not supplied because a senior manager told us that these policies are not collected centrally.
September 2008: Bristol Fawcett made a Freedom of Information Request, writing to all primary, infant and secondary schools in Bristol requesting copies of their GESs. Only 7 primary and infant schools (of 110) were able to respond with details of their schemes. Two of these contained no actions whatsoever to tackle any inequality or discrimination faced by girls (but boys were identified as needing support with reading and writing). Not one secondary school (of 20) were able to send us a completed scheme, and many were unaware that GESs are not the same as equal opportunities policies.
January 2010: Bristol Fawcett wrote individually to all primary and secondary schools in Bristol encouraging them to take advantage of training and materials being offered by the Council. 20 schools signed up for this training, which was delivered in February 2010.
September 2010: Bristol Fawcett support and endorse the paper: "The role of schools to stop violence against women and girls; Background and Recommendations" developed within the Safer Bristol Rape and Sexual Assault Prevention Sub Group
(draft can be downloaded here) and circulated to Safer Bristol's Rape and Sexual Assault Prevention Steering Group as well as to Bristol City Council's Chief Executive.
December 2010: we wrote to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, calling for action to tackle violence against women and girls. Read our letter here.
January 2011: we met with Bristol's Strategic Director for children as well as with the chairs of the primary and secondary headteachers' groups to discuss moving forward, and the relaunch of Bristol's toolkit for meeting legal obligations on gender equality (available here), and guidelines for reporting sexual harassment and sexist incidents in schools (available here). These documents were circulated to Bristol schools in March 2011 and a briefing session on harassment was arranged for 10th May 2011.
We are currently working with Bristol City Council, Safer Bristol and others to develop a new single city-wide strategy for tackling violence and abuse against women and girls which puts prevention at its heart.
We will continue to monitor progress in Bristol schools and to work with partners to strengthen the role of schools in promoting gender equality and stopping violence against women and girls.
In common with many other campaigners against inequality in society, the members of Bristol Fawcett are convinced that the key to positive change lies in education. All around us, the legacy of women and girls' historical position as subordinate to men and boys in our society prevails. Women were only granted the right to vote in living memory, and it is less than 20 years since rape within marriage became illegal in England. Paternity leave recognising the caring role of new fathers was only introduced in 2003. Against this backdrop, it has been 'business as usual' for children and young people at home and in school, and compared with changes in policy and legislation, the pace of social change has been glacial.
In October 2010 the End Violence Against Women coalition commissioned a YouGov Poll which found that 71% of 16-18 year olds experience daily or weekly sexual harassment. Furthermore, 1 in 3 girls say they've experienced unwanted sexual touching. 24% of respondents say that they have never been told by teachers that behaviours such as unwanted sexual touching, sharing of sexual pictures or sexual name-calling are unacceptable.
Professor Liz Kelly, chair of the End Violence Against Women Coalition said: "Schools are failing in their ethical and legal responsibility to challenge all forms of violence against women and girls and provide safe and supportive environments for female students."
Bristol Fawcett want to support Bristol schools to actively challenge gender inequality and violence against women and girls.
In April 2007 the Gender Equality Duty (GED) came into force, following the success of the Race Equality Duty which had been put in place following the wake-up call to society represented by the inquiry into Stephen Lawrence's racist murder. The GED - and its replacement, the Public Sector Equality Duty - require all public bodies - including schools - to actively promote gender equality, and act to eliminate harassment and discrimination based on gender. The GED also required schools to publish schemes and action plans for doing this. Read on to find out what Bristol Fawcett have been doing to promote gender equality in schools, or use the links at the top left of this page to access further links and resources.
November 2007: Bristol Fawcett invited the Council's outgoing Equalities Manager (Children and Young People - with responsibility for gender) to brief us on gender equality issues in Bristol schools.
February 2008: Bristol City Council's management decide to cull their in-house CYPS equalities and inclusion team, despite the fact that the existing team had already not had the capacity to support schools to meet their new statutory gender equality duties. The city would be left with no staff advising on gender equality in education. Bristol Fawcett identified a number of serious failings in the proposed review, which we set out in a response to the Council and which were ignored.
April 2008: Bristol Fawcett wrote to the Interim Equalities and Inclusion Manager pointing out that through internet searches as well as individual telephone calls to several schools we had been unsuccessful in locating a single gender equality scheme published by any Bristol school - a year after the deadline for producing GESs. Under the Freedom of Information Act, we requested a list of Bristol schools with details of their published GESs. This list was not supplied because a senior manager told us that these policies are not collected centrally.
September 2008: Bristol Fawcett made a Freedom of Information Request, writing to all primary, infant and secondary schools in Bristol requesting copies of their GESs. Only 7 primary and infant schools (of 110) were able to respond with details of their schemes. Two of these contained no actions whatsoever to tackle any inequality or discrimination faced by girls (but boys were identified as needing support with reading and writing). Not one secondary school (of 20) were able to send us a completed scheme, and many were unaware that GESs are not the same as equal opportunities policies.
January 2010: Bristol Fawcett wrote individually to all primary and secondary schools in Bristol encouraging them to take advantage of training and materials being offered by the Council. 20 schools signed up for this training, which was delivered in February 2010.
September 2010: Bristol Fawcett support and endorse the paper: "The role of schools to stop violence against women and girls; Background and Recommendations" developed within the Safer Bristol Rape and Sexual Assault Prevention Sub Group
(draft can be downloaded here) and circulated to Safer Bristol's Rape and Sexual Assault Prevention Steering Group as well as to Bristol City Council's Chief Executive.
December 2010: we wrote to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, calling for action to tackle violence against women and girls. Read our letter here.
January 2011: we met with Bristol's Strategic Director for children as well as with the chairs of the primary and secondary headteachers' groups to discuss moving forward, and the relaunch of Bristol's toolkit for meeting legal obligations on gender equality (available here), and guidelines for reporting sexual harassment and sexist incidents in schools (available here). These documents were circulated to Bristol schools in March 2011 and a briefing session on harassment was arranged for 10th May 2011.
We are currently working with Bristol City Council, Safer Bristol and others to develop a new single city-wide strategy for tackling violence and abuse against women and girls which puts prevention at its heart.
We will continue to monitor progress in Bristol schools and to work with partners to strengthen the role of schools in promoting gender equality and stopping violence against women and girls.