From the survey launch on Tuesday Jan 2nd, 2018, until 9am this morning, Mon Jan 8th, 2018, the survey has had 270 respondents, which is an amazing response for less than a week of operation!
Who are the respondents?
61% of the respondents are parent/carers, 5% are students, 38% are working in schools, and 16% of respondents described their role as "other".
56% of respondents identify as LGBTQI, 27% are parents of students who identifies as LGBTQI, 33% identify as allies, and 5% identify as "other".
Where are they?
62% of respondents are in VIC, 21% in NSW, 7% in SA, 5% in WA, 3% in ACT, and 3% in QLD.
The local government area most covered is Darebin, with 15% of respondents living there, 4% in Moreland, 3% in Sydney, 3% in Yarra, 2% in Mornington Peninsula, 2% in Hobsons Bay, 2% in Melbourne, 2% in Knox, and 68% in "Other" areas, which means they are so widely spread that only have 1-2 respondents from there.
What kind of schools?
Most respondents are involved with primary schools (59%), with 33% with secondary schools, 17% with pre-schools, and 8% with schools they classified as "other".
The majority of schools are state schools (71%), with 17% independent schools, 5% Catholic schools, and 7% "other".
Did the respondents want the schools to have done more to support and include LGBTQI students and families during marriage equality debate?
Yup. Muchly, yup. Of the 153 respondents who answered the question, 82% said Yes, 7% said No, 12% said unsure.
What additional things would they have liked the school to have done?
The main theme in answers to this question was to show additional proactive and visible support for the LGBTQI community (e.g. rainbow flags, posters, supportive statements in newsletters, celebrate days like IDAHOBIT). Respondents also wanted schools to take an active role in the education of the school community about:
- the harm of anti-LGBTQI attitudes and behaviour, and
- correcting the misinformation in the media about the Safe Schools unit and 'All of Us' program.
And of course, respondents very much wanted the schools to do these things without LGBTQI families having to ask for it again, and again, and again.....