Parent protest at sex education being taught.

[justasking111]

A group of angry mums have launched a protest and petition against their school for introducing a curriculum supporting homosexuality.

Andrew Moffat MBE, assistant headteacher at Parkfield Community School in Saltley, has been criticised by parents for piloting No Outsiders - a programme run alongside sex and relationship education (SRE) lessons.

Its ethos promotes LGBT equality and challenges homophobia in primary schools.

Books now being read by pupils at Parkfield Community School include Mommy, Mama and Me and King & King - stories about same-sex relationships and marriages.

But Mr Moffat and the No Outsiders programme have come under fire from some Muslim parents who condemn such teachings, as homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam.

Mr Moffat, who is openly gay, and the school have defended the programme, which they said had been fully explained to parents. They added: "No Outsiders allows us to raise awareness of these differences so that children are able to tolerate and accept differences in our society."

The extract above is from an article in the Birmingham Mail. I think it is quite a fair article.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/muslim-mums-protest-outside-school-15729135

I attended a drop in session about the Sex Ed curriculum at my daughter's primary school. There was the grand total of 5 of us there. There was me (who had gone to ask about a group for the older girls they had done the year before) and 3 Christian parents, one Muslim (all 4 I know are very religious in their lives). The points they made where they had no problem teaching the fact - that gay relationships exist, what it means etc but they were uncomfortable with 'celebrating' such relationships. The school did a 'diversity' day a couple of years before. Children coming dressed in Rainbow colours and a rainbow themed cake sale (yes really). It was this type of event the parents were uncomfortable with. One parent said that they accept that gay relationships and marrige exist. That they have no issues if one of their children has friends with two mums or two dads. She pretty much said she respected the lives of other people but if that life isn't compatable with her religious beliefs then she doesn't think it's a schools place to 'celebrate' that life. I hadn't really thought about it in that way before. The Diversity Day was a bit naff to be honest. But then again where do we stop. Another Christian parent objected to the class doing Yoga and colouring in pictures of pumpkins at halloween. (infact it seems to be more Christian parents who find something to complain about than the typical media favourite of Muslim parents). It's a tough one. If you start removing things from the curriculum because it could go against a family's faith you would end up with not much left.

She pretty much said she respected the lives of other people but if that life isn't compatable with her religious beliefs then she doesn't think it's a schools place to 'celebrate' that life.

But diversity should be celebrated

sashh yes what she said did make me think "hmmm okaaay". I can see both sides a little bit. The Diversity Day was practically like a mini Pride which I can see that people of a faith that says being gay is a sin may find that uncomfortable for their children to take part in however the parent who said that said she accepts that in life she must respect other peoples lives so she doesn't have an issue with a child bringing one of their two Dads to a Mothers Day afternoon. She just didn't believe the school should be making a 'song and dance' about it.
(these are no way my opinions by the way but this other parent)
The irony is the original idea for Diversity Day was more about learning about different disabilities and health issues that children have - not sexuality. Somewhere along the line the idea got changed.

I'm torn on this. I don't believe that religious views should have the power to trump what is taught in schools. Kids need to be taught that if something is legal and doesn't harm them, then they've no right to expect their personal dislike to hold any weight within society as a whole. I don't see how teaching tolerance and respect can be a bad thing and it seems to me that these parents could do with being in these classes!
I am uncomfortable generally with the teaching in state schools that God exists, like it's an incontrovertible fact, but I put up with it because the moral values taught are broadly in line with my own. From the parents pov, if the school was teaching my dc something I held to be wrong, I'd be upset about it too.
Best example I can think of is schools starting to teach the view that transwomen are women and therefore entitled to the same rights as natal women - plenty of parents would object to that. At what point does state policy wet education outweigh parental rights to raise our DC as we see fit?

The teacher being criticized does have his own website.

www.innovatemyschool.com/ideas/no-outsiders-in-your-school-interview

I am puzzled three years ago the school, governers and parents were on board with this teaching. Why now is there suddenly a backlash, or has it been reported badly as in "ooh this will make a good headline"

www.theguardian.com/education/2016/feb/15/islam-gay-teacher-muslim-school-birmingham

It is vital that children have these things explained simply at a young age, to prevent bullying of those from same gender parents and those who are just a little different.

I could maybe understand the “the they are too young to understand this argument” but when they bring the “we are 90% muslim” argument into it I lose my sympathy.

If religious you can still show tolerance to others. We are supposed to be a multicultural country and if you want to practice your religion/lifestyle freely you should expect to be respectful of others also. We should not be allowing bigotry in any religious schools.

Did they go ahead with the lessons?

Didnt read the whole article, but if it's true its being taught to even the youngest in the primary school, that seems a bit too much. I'd start it more around the 9/10 age range. Don't really see why 4 year olds need taught that, not sure they would even properly understand.*

Dd was 5 when she saw a kid at her school with 2 mums, she asked what the go was so i told her some families have 2 mums that love each other, like me and your dad just mums. Ok she says, she then went about her day
Even in younger years its not bad to start the whole every family is different, some have 2 mums or dads, mum and dad, just mum or just dad, even grandparents, foster parents. In some instances it may stop bullying for a kid for having gay parents/not the norm family set up.

Sqeekums: So succinct and well put. We owe it to our children and children’s children.

It sounds as if the parents objecting are objecting to very low-key, family-based things. Mommy, Mama and Me is just about a child with two mums. It's not rampant lesbian sex. I think most 4 year olds would take that in their stride.

@santaclarita, FWIW some of the babies at my DD's nursery can understand. DD's 22 months and some of the other children in her room have just been figuring out that she has two mummies. It's not actually that difficult!

Mommy, Mama and Me is just about a child with two mums.

In Saltley, that's not "just".

No, sure, I see that reflectent, but I was trying to make the point that it's not sexual. The first comment by santaclarita made me think it's worth clarifying that this doesn't seem to be teaching children about sex itself.