Anti-LGBTQ groups are planning nationwide protests against the inclusion of LGBTQ-inclusive relationships education. The protests are planned to happen in September.
Earlier this year, MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of introducing LGBTQ-inclusive relationship and sex education in schools. 538 MPs at the House of Commons backed the proposal, with only 21 voting against it.
Groups like Stop RSE, Parent Power, the Values Foundation and the School Gate Campaign have been set up in the past year with the aim of stopping the lessons, and what they call the “radical sexualisation of kids.”
On the website of the School Gate Campaign, set up by an evangelical Christian, it claims that LGBTQ-inclusive education “hijacks and potentially perverts the course of natural child development.”
Rob Kelsall, from the National Association of Head Teachers, told the Sunday Times: “There is a lot of nervousness that if the secretary of state does not get a grip on this issue this summer, we could see protests right across England in the autumn.”
The paper also published a letter from 80 MPs, calling on the government to make what is being taught clearer. “The protests outside schools need to end, and the best way to achieve that is for the government to be absolutely clear on what will be taught,” the letter said.
“At the moment it is far from clear for many parents. The government and the Department for Education have been slow to respond to the misinformation being promulgated among many of our communities by those seeking to undermine relationships education in primary schools.
“If unchecked, the problem will grow, damaging our schools and communities and weakening the recent advancement of equal rights in our country.”
Protests have been held earlier this year outside primary schools in Birmingham against the ‘No Outsiders’ programme.
No Outsiders – developed by Andrew Moffat, 2017 MBE recipient for services to equality and diversity in education – is a program of lessons that covers topics such as gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability and age.
Parkfield initially suspended teaching of the lessons, but has since reinstated them under a new title, “No Outsiders for a Faith Community”, which will be introduced in September.
Amanda Spielman, head of Ofsted, previously said protests against LGBTQ-inclusive education are “setting a terrible example for the children” and highlighted the importance of “constructive, professional dialogue” between teachers and parents.
The inclusive lessons have also received backing from the Education Secretary Damian Hinds. And West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, urged an end to “homophobic” protests that were taking place outside the Anderton Primary School over No Outsiders.
