"The Youth '07 report on the health and wellbeing of same and both sex attracted secondary school students provides evidence that things have not improved for queer students in New Zealand secondary schools since the early study, Youth 2000.   In fact, on some measures they have got worse."

Youth'07 The health and wellbeing of secondary school students in New Zealand: Results for young people attracted to the same sex or both sexes

The report presents information on the health and wellbeing of secondary school students who reported being sexually attracted to others of the same sex or to both sexes. Information is drawn from the Youth'07 Survey and selected findings are compared with those from the first Youth2000 survey conducted in 2001.

At least seven New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association / Te Wehengarua (PPTA) members attended the human rights conference held in Wellington in March 2011 as part of the Asia-Pacific Outgames.

The conference was a sell-out, with over 300 people attending.  It was an inspiring event, with a wide range of fascinating keynote presentations and great workshops.

Information about the Asia-Pacific Outgames Human Rights conference

PPTA presentation to the conference: 'Queering the closeted curriculum in the cardboard classroom'

At the human rights conference at the Asia-Pacific Outgames, PPTA President Robin Duff presented a workshop titled ‘Queering the closeted curriculum in the cardboard classroom.

‘Queering the closeted curriculum in the cardboard classroom’

New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association / Te Wehengarua (PPTA) Rainbow Taskforce for Safe Schools (formerly Safe Schools Taskforce) has been operating for about 14 years. Its job is to help make secondary schools safe and welcoming places for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex students, family/whanau members and teachers.

Safe Schools

Schools are institutions where diversity is the norm among staff, students and the community served by the school.   This diversity includes diversity of cultures, ethnicities, beliefs and values, learning needs, sexualities and gender identities.  The first four forms of diversity are generally well-recognised and acted upon.  Yet diversity of sexualities and of gender identities has been less well addressed by schools and many continue to be less than welcoming and affirming of students, staff and families who are not of the dominant heterosexual orientation or gender identities.

There is ample evidence of the harmful effects on people of homophobia (defined as 'the fear or loathing of homosexuality') and transphobia (defined as ‘an irrational fear of, and/or hostility towards, people who are transgender or who otherwise transgress traditional gender norms’) and their manifestation in physical, verbal or psychological harassment of people who are, or are perceived to be, non-heterosexual or transgender.

Affirmation of diversity in all its forms is a fundamental value that must underpin the culture of a school, because without it, conflict is inevitable and a school is no longer a safe and affirming place for all members of its community.