By Gavin Mackintosh-
Education Secretary, Damian Hinds has warned demonstrators against LGBT lessons to cease the protests outside school gates.
Hinds said there is “no place for protests outside school gates” and warned the demonstrations can be “hijacked by individuals with a vested interest and no links to the schools”.
His warning comes after Anderton Park Primary School caught at the centre of an intensifying row over its equality teaching had to close at the earlier time of noon today. Last week when pro-LGBT activists were pelted with eggs by demonstrators against the proposal for LGBT lessons, with a voicemail message was sent to headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson accusing her of being a paedophile.
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The violence displayed by those strongly opposing LGBT equality lessons in schools is absolutely disgraceful. The opposing demonstrators have shown no sensitivity to pupils who may be gay and suffering in silence, hoping for someone to make them feel accepted. Victimisation of gay pupils in many schools have improved over the years, but continue in many parts of the country. Educating on the importance of equal treatment, especially some of the difficult struggles many gay pupils have managing their sexuality in school cannot be much of a bad thing.
Those who are so badly opposed to it need to discuss their issues with the school authorities or the government, no act like children over it. No school curriculum will e forcing Muslims or any faith to change their religion, they will simply be educating them about the challenges LGBT pupils face, and encouraging all pupils to be aware of it and not make homophobic comments that can affect a pupil’s mindset.
Hinds today said it is “unacceptable that children at Anderton Park are missing out on education because of the threat of protests”.
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“I support and trust headteachers to make decisions in the interests of their pupils and it’s unacceptable that this school finds itself in a position where it feels it has no choice but to close early for the last day of term,” he said.“It is time for these protests to stop.”
DIALOGUE
Hinds added that the Department for Education is working alongside West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council to monitor the situation and encourage “further talks and dialogue” between the school and concerned parents. Protests against LGBT lessons began outside many Birmingham schools earlier this year in response to concerns about an LGBT lessons programme, “no outsiders”.
Reaction to the programme has sparked concern in Birmingham’s community. The programme was designed by Andrew Moffat, the deputy head of Parkfield community school, and had been used by other schools across the city. However, Birmingham, which has a large concentration of Muslims has seen many of those offended protest strongly against the LGBT lessons which enlighten about equal rights for gay pupils.
The topic was discussed and debated twice by writers at The Eye Of Media.Com among others in the past 2 days, which most members agreeing that if the lessons do not force or pressure pupils to abandon their religion, the level of the protests so far are unnecessary. There is nothing to suggest that schools teaching equality rights in LGBT lesson will get involved in the religious beliefs of Muslim pupils i n the classroom.
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