90-minute sectarian

Guidance for: 90-minute sectarian

PDF file: Script

Use with a variety of audiences, e.g. teachers, youth/community workers, trainee teachers, staff training, young people aged 12+.

Learning Points:

• Sectarian language/chants/songs are unacceptable
• Condoning sectarian language allows sectarianism to perpetuate, e.g. chanting sectarian language during a sports match sends out the message that sectarianism is acceptable
• Adults have a responsibility to act in a positive way – to set an example to children
• Adults should help young people to explore sectarianism – explain why it is not acceptable

Allow people to share their initial thoughts about what happened in the scenario.

This scenario can be used to

1. Explore what happened to each character:

• What might the angry female teacher have been thinking at the sports match?
• How did the aggressive atmosphere at the match make the male teacher and his child feel?
• How might the female teacher feel about being identified in that context?
• Why did the male teacher raise the issue?
• How could he have explained the sectarianism of the sports match to his child?
• Would you have handled this situation differently?

2. Initiate a discussion about sectarian language and discrimination in the context of sports:

• Why would someone get angry at a sport or game?
• What kind of words/language might this person have used?
• Explore this language – what do they mean? Where did they come from?
• Discuss why people might be offended by sectarian language and what the difference is between language that is sectarian and language that is in support of a team.
• Does sectarianism and discrimination occur in all sports or only some? Why is this?

3. Explore how sectarian language has consequences:

• What were the consequences in this scene?
• Could there have been other outcomes? How? What could have happened if the language was different?
• Talk about how using sectarian language in the context of a sports match allows sectarianism to perpetuate.
• Talk about what language is and isn't acceptable and why this would be.

Purposes of the curriculum 3-18

using this scenario can contribute toward young people becoming:

• confident individuals able to relate to others and manage themselves
• responsible citizens with commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life
• effective contributors able to solve problems