Open and positive : an account of how John Warburton came out at school and the consequences

John Warburton, Paul S. Patrick, Peter Bradley

"In December 1974, the Inner London Education Authority determined that in order to teach in any school in that Authority, I must give a written undertaking 'not in future to discuss homosexuality with pupils, except in the course of a completely structured programme of sex education of which the Headmaster/Headmistress has full knowledge, and with which he/she is in full agreement'. I felt at the time, and continue to feel, unable to comply with this request, despite the fact that my decision has adversely affected my employment opportunities in and out of teaching. I will give detailed account of the events that led up to and followed from ILEA's decision and explain why I consider ILEA's actions to be tentamount to unfair dismissal".