“What worries me most is the impact this rhetoric can have on young people who may already be struggling with who they are.” – Sharon Drysdale, UNISON LGBT Officer

Tomorrow, Wednesday 9 September, The Education, Communities and Housing Committee of Orkney Islands Council has before it the following: Item 8 “LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Plan – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing.”

This has drawn a great deal of interest from a small group of parents who run a closed Facebook page, and one councillor, David Dawson, there may be more.

Now why all the interest in Item 8 ? There are other issues being discussed which involve Housing in Orkney – of great importance given the Housing crisis we have in the islands which is affecting workforce recruitment, and retaining young people and families in the communities they grew up in.

A downloadable link to the Report on the LGBT Inclusive Education
Implementation Plan 2026 – 2029 is given at the end of this article.

A virtual meeting with the directors of the Scottish charity TIE (Time for Inclusive Education) took place on 19 March 2026 with Parent Council Chairs. It enabled the parents to find out more about the materials and the online resources being offered for use in Orkney’s schools.

Some parents, however, strongly object to their children learning about and understanding the society they live in. It is their intention that these resources are not used in Orkney schools. Their councillor champion is the right wing Christian David Dawson. Ironically their views on the LGBTQ community would align nicely with those in Tehran.

Orkney Island Council is an inclusive organisation. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) staff, service users and young people should know we, as an organisation, will treat you with respect.

We are committed to ensuring that anyone who identifies as LGBT is treated fairly and has the same opportunities as anyone else.

For our young people who attend school in Orkney, we are aware that, if you think you may be LGBT, it can feel like you are alone and there is no support. The staff at your school will be happy to talk to you about any questions concerning sexual orientation or gender identity and will listen to you respectfully, without judgement.

Should you, your friends, or your family, wish to find out information on your own, the links to the LGBT website can help you. All links are available from the ‘Related Sites’ section of this page. OIC website.

Sadly, many of the views of those in support of censoring what children and young people learn about the society we live in are very much devoid of respect. Harassment and verbal abuse are prevalent.

The trade unions representing staff who work in Orkney’s schools, EIS (Scotland and Orkney’s largest teaching union), and UNISON, (Scotland and Orkney’s largest public sector union) have both issued statements.

Statement from EIS Orkney

LGBT Inclusive Education is an opportunity to make a real difference to the wellbeing of our learners, and staff, in the pursuit of a fairer, more equitable society.

The EIS takes pride in supporting the implementation of the national commitment to LGBT Inclusive Education in Scotland and working to ensure all teachers and lecturers are confident, trained and well supported to take this forward within their establishments.

In Orkney, the local branch of the EIS looks forward to working with Orkney Islands Council to ensure an inclusive curriculum is in place for all learners that tackles the bullying, discrimination and prejudice that still exist in our society connected to racism, xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. Having access to high-quality professional learning and resources, such as those provided by TIE, are key to ensuring the best possible and consistent education for all our learners across schools in Orkney.

Statement from UNISON Orkney

UNISON, Orkney’s largest trade union, has reaffirmed its support for LGBT-inclusive education in the county. The union, which represents over 300 education staff, also voiced concerns about the impact misinformation circulating in the community may have on children and young people. 

Sharon Drysdale, UNISON LGBT Officer, said:

“UNISON strongly supports LGBT-inclusive education and the work of TIE. Every young person deserves to feel safe, respected and included at school.

“Parents absolutely have the right to ask questions, but we are increasingly frustrated by misinformation being presented as fact. TIE is about age-appropriate education, challenging prejudice and making sure LGBT young people and families are included.

“What worries me most is the impact this rhetoric can have on young people who may already be struggling with who they are. Isolation, shame and rejection can have very serious consequences for mental health, including self-harm and, tragically, suicide.

“UNISON will continue to stand up for LGBT young people and inclusive education in Orkney. Every young person deserves to know they belong. That shouldn’t be controversial. 

“We would also like to challenge the claims that staff working with children and young people have some sort of an agenda. Our members, as well as their teaching colleagues, want to ensure that all children feel included. They are not campaigning, they are professional and caring, and the resources provided by TIE will help them ensure our schools are inclusive for all”. 

The resources from TIE are free of charge to schools, and they cover a variety of scenarios and types of lessons for different age groups. TIE are very clear that teachers are trained in how to use the lesson plans etc so that they are used appropriately. Taking screen shots of lesson plans and using them out of context – which some objectors have been doing – is part of the misinformation and scare mongering campaign which has been ongoing in Orkney for months.

With language taken straight from the pages of The Daily Mail or the Reform UK Manifesto, the toxic nature of the views being expressed by this minority of objectors is more than enough proof that TIE educational materials are very much needed in Orkney.

Let’s also hope that the really important issue to folk in Orkney – HOUSING – gets given a great deal of discussion and focus with a positive outcome.

Download – report for Item 8.

Fiona Grahame