What do you see in the picture? What do think is happening, where is it? What do you think the story is here?
In Orlando, Florida, USA, there has been a debate for the last few months about a crossing on a road.
Can you guess what the debate is?
Ten years ago there was a homophobic attack on LGBT+ people at a night club called Pulse. 49 people were killed in the attack and many more injured. Following the attack, the council decided to paint a crossing outside the club with rainbow colours. The crossing was already there with black and white colours. They painted it rainbow colours instead.
Why do you think people painted the crossing with rainbow colours?
What do the colours represent?
What are the arguments for and against doing that?
For the last ten years the crossing has remained in place. Until now.
Over summer, the council removed the rainbow colours. They arrived at night to do it. They made the crossing black and white again.
Why do you think the council did that?
Why do it at night time?
How do you think the local residents felt?
The Mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer said, "We are devastated to learn that overnight the state painted over the Pulse Memorial crosswalk."
If the council painted the crossing rainbow ten years ago, why change it now? What does that show about ideas changing?
How do ideas change?
Looking at the photo, what do you think the residents did next?
The residents used chalk to colour in the crossing and make it rainbow again. The residents did this during the day time.
Why do you think the residents did this during the day time not at night?
What do you think the council did?
The council painted over the crossing again. The state governor Ron DeSantis said the state would not allow its "roads to be commandeered for political purposes."
The US transport secretary of state said, "Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks."
What does that mean?
Do you think colouring a crossing with rainbow colours is a political act?
Can you see both sides of this debate? What are the two sides of this discussion?
The Orlando mayor responded saying the crossing did adhere to safety standards and also helped enhance visibility for people going to visit the night club.
What do you think of this point?
Since the summer, four people have been arrested for "defacing the crosswalk" by painting rainbow colours on the road. People continue to paint or chalk colours every time the council remove the colours.
What is your opinion about this?
What do you think should happen? Can you find a solution?
What do we say at our school about being LGBT+ and having different families?
Why is this about No Outsiders?
Which British Value is this about?
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No Outsiders: We belong here by Andrew Moffat (scheme of work for primary schools)
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