Twenty years ago, a bad book depicting a little girl in bed with two naked men created a furore (page 3). The resultant legislation set back gay rights by more than a decade and made teachers fearful of answering questions about their sexual orientation.
Thanks to the present government, Section 28 is history. And sex education guidance requires teachers to deal honestly and sensitively with questions about homosexuality and to tackle homophobic bullying. Sensibly, it also requires heads and governors to liaise with parents to ensure that unsuitable materials are not used in sex education classes.
This is progress indeed. But there is still a way to go before homosexuality is fully accepted in schools. That will only happen when gay and lesbian teachers do not have to conceal their sexuality at work.
