While it is good that Hwa Chong Institution has swiftly reprimanded and disavowed the views of the school counsellor who made a presentation containing discriminatory content about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people, there are still unanswered questions regarding the school's response (Hwa Chong reprimands school counsellor over anti-LGBTQ content, July 19).
First, how was such unsubstantiated content allowed to be presented? Was there a vetting process for such material, given that it was a sexuality education lesson, which can be quite sensitive?
Second, will the school put in place safeguards to ensure the counsellor does not discriminate against LGBTQ students who may go to him for counselling?
Lastly, what resources are available in the school for LGBTQ students should they face discrimination like this in the future?
It is concerning that such content was presented, as it may influence young minds and enforce false stereotypes of their LGBTQ peers.
Hence, there should be more safeguards in place to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
Isaac Neo