U.K. Teachers: Acting "Less Gay" Will Stop Bullying

A new report on teachers and bullying from Essex County, England, has shocked and outraged politicians and LGBT rights advocates in the U.K.

In the report, released by the Essex County Council, students revealed that teachers had accused them of making themselves a target for bullying simply by expressing their individuality.

According to the Halstead Gazette, some teachers went as far as telling students to "wear their hair differently" or act "less gay" if they didn't want to be tormented by other students.

Among those expressing outrage is Jordan Newell, 27, chairman of the Colchester Labour Party. Newell, who is also a member of the Labour Campaign for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Rights, said he was "incredibly shocked" by the report.

"It is incredibly stark and paints a picture that teachers are holding up their hands and not defending pupils who are expressing their difference and they are failing to defend some pretty basic principles in terms of bullying and antibullying," he said.

"I think the report shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue and on how to tackle bullies."

A spokesman for the Essex County Council said his organization is taking the subject "very seriously" and hopes instructors will learn ways to give "sensible" advice to bullied students.

"The Young Essex Assembly held a conference to allow children to talk in an open and constructive environment about bullying within schools," he said. "All the information and anecdotal evidence gathered at the event will shape the work of the Young Essex Assembly. As a result, it is developing an anti-bullying information pack, which will be given to trainee teachers to help them cope with this serious issue."

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