Bullying and homophobia in Canadian schools: The politics of policies, programs, and educational leadership.

During the past ten years, attention on bullying has intensified among educators, parents, journalists, and educational researchers in the wake of high-profile incidents of bullying in some Canadian schools. Safe schools policies and programs have proliferated as a result. However, the issue of homophobia-a pervasive form of bullying-tends to be absent from public discussion, anti-bullying programs, and so-called safe schools policies. This essay explores the politics of bullying and of related policies and programs. The author challenges educational leaders to initiate and support measures to confront homophobic bullying, even against certain opposition, in order to promote safety for all students.