Odense to survey ninth graders on views of homosexuality

Odense Municipality will ask ninth-grade pupils about their views on homosexuality, after its Children and Youth Committee approved the proposal on Monday. The proposal was put forward by Mark Grossmann of Venstre, DR reports.

The survey is intended to give politicians a picture of young people’s experiences and help inform policy, Grossmann said. Pupils will be asked whether they believe homosexuality is fully accepted in Denmark, whether they accept it themselves, and whether gay pupils can be open about their sexuality at school without facing bullying or negative comments. Other questions concern the use of anti-gay slurs and the general tone of discussion among pupils.

Thomas Mahler, head of Dalum School and chair of the Odense Municipality School Leaders’ Association, questioned the need for another survey. He said a thorough VIVE study conducted two years ago had already identified challenges that he believes remain relevant.

Lambda, a Funen association for LGBT+ people, welcomed the survey but also pointed to the earlier study. Board member Niklas Lindsten said the municipality should take concrete action to address the problems identified rather than conduct another survey without a clear plan for what will follow.

At the committee meeting, councillor Brian Dybro of SF proposed that results should be reported only for the municipality as a whole, rather than for individual schools. The amendment was rejected.

Mahler said he feared school-level results could stigmatise some schools, while Lindsten said they could distract from the wider problem and from efforts to target support where it is needed.

Odense Municipality’s Children and Youth Administration expects to carry out the survey late this year or early next year.