The cowardly homophobic act of publishing the names of gay and lesbian students at a Nuoro school has been met with unanimous condemnation from both the students and the school. It's a good thing that Italy's much-maligned schools have some resistance to homophobic bullying in their DNA; too often, incidents of this kind are treated superficially, or worse, with indifference. The students, led by Principal Antonio Fadda, have demonstrated maturity and civility that should serve as an example to teachers and students across the country.
The hope is that bullies are discovered and appropriately punished: the public visibility of homosexuals is a value, but everyone must be able to choose the timing and methods of their own coming out.
The educational world must never lower its guard against anti-gay hatred, and the future Minister of Education is called upon to equip schools with the appropriate tools to effectively prevent and combat homophobic bullying. A quality school environment is one that welcomes and coexists with all differences.
Flavio Romani, president of Arcigay
