STQARRIJA/STATEMENT: Solidarjeta Kollettiva mas-Sur Stefan Vassallo // Collective Solidarity with Mr. Stefan Vassallo

Collective Solidarity with Mr. Stefan Vassallo
(Aqra bil-Malti taħt)

We wish to express our solidarity with Stefan Vassallo and our gratitude towards St Clare College Primary School in San Ġwann for standing by him, despite pressure made by a family against their child’s teacher, due to his sexual orientation. 

Education is one of the most powerful tools a society has to shape kind, informed and open-minded young people. It guides them towards their future vocation or workplace, but it also prepares them for the world outside school and home. When children interact with teachers from diverse backgrounds, they learn empathy, acceptance and the importance of respecting everyone, including their peers or their educators. The National Curriculum Framework itself upholds such values; to encourage children and teachers to work together and learn from each other, and to help children to regard social justice and solidarity as key values in the development of Maltese society. 

Parents excluding or isolating an educator because of their sexual orientation is increasingly worrying for the simple reason that students and children who are in the coming out process may give rise to self doubt and personal anxieties when they observe these behaviours. This may lead them into thinking that they deserve exclusion and isolation when all they need is love, understanding, guidance and intensive support at this delicate coming out process. Supportive educators and inclusive schools are thus especially important for LGBTIQ students, who still face marginalisation and bullying despite the legal progress made in recent years. Having access to supportive educators and information at school can significantly improve their well-being and educational success.   

Teachers like Mr Vassallo, who have dedicated their lives to guiding and inspiring students, should be valued for their professionalism, commitment, and expertise — not judged by their sexual orientation. Such actions go against the principles of equality and respect that our education system must uphold. While religion is a personal belief and choice, it should never be used to discriminate against individuals, including professionals, for aspects of their identity that are intrinsic and not a matter of choice. Students deserve educators who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the classroom, enriching their learning and helping them grow into empathetic, well-rounded individuals. This is what creates a healthy environment — not exclusion. 

Today, a gay teacher found a supportive school environment. But for others in different schools and other workplaces, this may not be the case and LGBTIQ persons may be denied a promotion, rejected from employment or fired for their identity. This highlights the urgent need to prioritise the long-overdue Equality Act and the Human Rights and Equality Commission Act. The Equality Act aims to combat all forms of discrimination and ensure equal treatment in every aspect of life, including education. 

Although the Prime Minister Robert Abela said the bills were back on the government agenda in 2023, the government has been silent on these bills since then. We urge the government to show it is against all forms of discrimination, including homophobia and transphobia, by prioritising the Equality Act as soon as possible. Implementing this legislation is not just a legal necessity but a moral one for our country, reinforcing the values of dignity, respect, and inclusion that our society should uphold. Such incidents remind us of the importance of these protections in creating a truly equitable Maltese society. 

Signed by

Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM), LGBTI+ Gozo, Checkpoint Malta, Moviment Graffitti, aditus foundation, Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC), Drachma LGBTI, Drachma Parents, Men against Violence, Lawyers for Choice, Women’s Rights Foundation, Young Progressive Beings, Women for Women Foundation, Humanists Malta, Doctors for Choice, Parents for Choice

Solidarjeta Kollettiva mas-Sur Stefan Vassallo

Nixtiequ nesprimu s-solidarjetà tagħna ma’ Stefan Vassallo u l-gratitudni tagħna lejn l-iskola Primarja ta’ San Ġwann fi ħdan il-Kulleġġ Santa Klara talli appoġġjawh, minkejja l-pressjoni li saret minn familja ta’ student ħabba l-orjentazzjoni sesswali ta’ dan l-għalliem.

L-edukazzjoni hija għodda essenzjali biex nagħtu formazzjoni xierqa lit-tfal u ż-żgħażagħ kollha ħalli jsiru adulti bil-għaqal, infurmati u b’moħħhom miftuħ lejn dak li jiltaqgħu miegħu. Allura, aħna tal-fehma li l-iskola hija post fejn l-istudenti mhux biss jakkwistaw it-tagħlim u l-ħiliet meħtieġa għax-xogħol futur tagħhom, imma anke fejn jiġu preparati biex jiffaċċjaw id-dinja li se jħabbtu rashom magħha barra l-iskola u d-dar. Meta l-istudenti jiġu mgħallma minn għalliema diversi (fejn tidħol il-kultura, orjentazzjoni sesswali, identità tal-ġeneru u reliġjon fost differenzi oħrajn), ikunu f’ambjent fejn jistgħu jitgħallmu l-empatija u l-importanza li naċċettaw u nirrispettaw lil kulħadd. Fin-‘National Curriculum Framework’, wieħed jista’ jsib żewġ valuri li direttament jappartjenu ma’ dan kollu fosthom: a) li t-tfal u l-għalliema jaħdmu flimkien u jitgħallmu minn xulxin; b) inħeġġu lit-tfal jirrealizzaw li s-solidarjetà u l-ġustizzja soċjali huma valuri essenzjali fl-iżvilupp tas-soċjetà Maltija.

Ġenituri li jipprovaw jeskludu jew jiżolaw edukatur minħabba l-orjentazzjoni sesswali tagħhom iħassbuna kemxejn għax nemmnu li jistgħu jħallu impatt negattiv fuq studenti oħra li jkunu għadhom qed jesploraw l-identità tagħhom jew ikunu għaddejjin mill-proċess ta’ ‘coming out’. Dan għax azzjonijiet bħal dawn jistgħu jirriżultaw f’ansjetà jew dubji żejda fi studenti għaddejjin mill-esperjenzi msemmija u forsi anke jġeluhom jaħsbu li misshom ikunu esklużi jew iżolati mis-soċjetà minħabba dak li jħossu. Għalhekk, huwa pjuttost importanti li l-istudenti jattendu skejjel inklussivi b’edukaturi li jappoġġjawhom speċjalment waqt żminijiet potenzjalment diffiċli meta jkunu qed jesploraw l-identità tagħhom, biex hekk ikunu jistgħu jibqgħu jmorru tajjeb fl-iskola u l-benesseru tagħhom ikun żgurat.

Għalliema bħas-Sur Vassallo, li ddedikaw ħajjithom biex jgħallmu u jiggwidaw lill-istudenti, għandhom jiġu rikonoxxuti għall-professjonaliżmu u x-xogħol siewi li jagħmlu – u mhux jiġu ġġudikati ħabba l-orjentazzjoni sesswali tagħhom. Azzjonijiet bħal dawn imorru kontra l-prinċipji tal-ugwaljanza u rispett li s-sistema edukattiva tagħna għandha tħaddan. Waqt li t-twemmin hija affari personali fejn wieħed għandu dritt jemmen dak li jixtieq, it-twemmin m’għandu qatt jintuża bħala arma biex niddiskriminaw kontra ħadd speċjalment fuq aspetti tal-identità li wieħed m’għandux kontroll fuqhom. L-istudenti ħaqqhom edukaturi li juruhom perspettivi u esperjenzi diversi, u b’hekk jinħoloq ambjent b’saħħtu mingħajr ebda forma t’esklużjoni.

Illum, għalliem gay sab ambjent tal-iskola li appoġġjah… imma għal ħaddiema oħra kemm ġewwa l-iskejjel u kemm f’postijiet tax-xogħol oħra, dan l-appoġġ jistgħu ma jsibuħx u għalhekk jispiċċaw imkeċċija jew b’ċans aktar baxx li jiġu promossi. Dan l-episodju għandu jfakkarna fl-importanza tal-‘Equality Act’ u l-‘Human Rights and Equality Commission Act’ li s’issa għadhom ma sarux liġi. L-‘Equality Act’ hija liġi proposta bl-għan li tiġġieled kontra kull forma ta’ diskriminazzjoni u tassigura trattament ugwali f’kull aspett tal-ħajja, inkluż fl-edukazzjoni.

Waqt li fl-2023, il-Prim Minstru Robert Abela kien qal li dawn il-liġijiet reġgħu kienu fl-aġenda tal-gvern, ma rġajna smajna xejn minn dak iż-żmien ‘l hawn. Allura, inħeġġu lil gvern jafferma li huwa kontra kull forma ta’ diskriminazzjoni, inkluż l-omofobija u t-transfobija, billi jagħti prijorità lill-‘Equality Act’ mill-aktar fis possibbli. Jekk tiġi implimentata din il-leġiżlazzjoni, inkunu qed insaħħu l-valuri ta’ dinjità, rispett u inklużżjoni li l-soċjetà tagħna għandha tipproteġi u għalhekk nemmnu li l-passaġġ tal-‘Equality Act’ mhux biss wieħed ta’ bżonn legali imma anke ta’ bżonn morali għal pajjiżna. Inċidenti bħal dan li seħħ illum juruna li għad fadal xi jsir u li l-protezzjonijiet tal-‘Equality Act’ għandhom jgħinu biex tkompli tiġi kreata soċjetà Maltija li verament tinkludi lil kulħadd.

Ffirmat minn

Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM), LGBTI+ Gozo, Checkpoint Malta, Moviment Graffitti, aditus foundation, Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC), Drachma LGBTI, Drachma Parents, Men against Violence, Lawyers for Choice, Women’s Rights Foundation, Young Progressive Beings, Women for Women Foundation, Humanists Malta, Doctors for Choice, Parents for Choice