Chief Rabbi: Protect LGBT kids!

September 9, 2018

Ephraim Mirvis says many LGBT+ pupils in Orthodox schools ‘endure deep distress’

The chief rabbi has issued guidance for Orthodox Jewish schools on providing support for LGBT+ students, saying there is a religious duty to protect young people and their families.

The unprecedented document, described as a milestone, is likely to get a hostile reception from some Orthodox Jews who refuse to acknowledge diversity in sexual orientation or gender identity.

Some ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools have been criticised by Ofsted for failing to teach pupils about LGBT+ issues and censoring textbooks that refer to sexual or gender diversity.

The Wellbeing of LGBT+ Pupils: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Schools is produced by Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, in conjunction with KeshetUK, an organisation that advocates for LGBT+ rights in the Jewish community. The guidance calls for a zero-tolerance approach to homophobic or transphobic bullying.

In an introduction, Mirvis says many LGBT+ students in Jewish schools “endure deep unhappiness and distress due to the mistreatment and hurt they experience”.

There is a religious obligation to provide support and guidance, he adds. Schoolsmust introduce “robust behaviour policies that will enable all students to achieve their potential, free from bullying, discrimination and fear”.

Mirvis says: “Orthodox schools have understandably found it difficult to engage with LGBT+ issues. As challenging as the task might be, and it is exceptionally challenging, I believe that failure to address it at all amounts to an abrogation of our responsibility to the Almighty and to our children.”

Although the guide is aimed at schools, its significance is expected to resonate widely among Orthodox Jews because of its use of religious texts to challenge widespread intolerance of LGBT+ people.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/sep/06/chief-rabbi-calls-on-jewish-schools-to-tackle-homophobia