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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think the government is not "promoting homosexuality" in schools?

36 replies

SheHasAWildHeart · 25/02/2015 11:50

Saw this on my FB and I don't know what to make of it. Firstly, it made me angry because I don't think the government is "promoting" homosexuality - it's isn't telling children to 'become' gay, it is saying if you are 'gay' that's fine, if you're friends are 'gay' that's fine. Secondly, this meeting is taking place in an area where the schools are shocking, exam grades below the national average, poor attendance, high crime rate, poor levels of literacy & numeracy and also many schools involved in the Trojan Horse scandal. Having lived in this area when I was younger I wish the community would put as much energy into dealing with these issues before getting their knickers twisted over CHIP. What do others think?

Dear…..

I am writing to you about an extremely urgent matter. A teaching programme which promotes same sex marriage and gender identity to young children is being introduced into primary schools across Birmingham.

I realise that this is very short notice, but I would like to invite you to a meeting on Thursday 26 February 2015, to tell you about this new teaching resource called CHIPS (Challenging Homophobia in Primary Schools).

This is such a serious matter. CHIPS is a programme of homosexual indoctrination, which works on young, impressionable minds to normalise homosexuality and to ignore their parents’ values.

Parents, who have spoken to me, are upset and angry that their children are being subjected to this programme of indoctrination. Many head teachers and teachers feel pressured to use this programme. CHIPS is causing great distress to Birmingham families and is an attack on marriage and the family.

Please consider coming to the meeting on 26 February. We will look at the content of the CHIPS programme and the dangers it presents. We will explain the involvement of Birmingham City Council and suggest ways to resist this programme coming into schools and thus protect children.

This meeting is for religious leaders of all denominations, parents, school governors, head teachers and teachers. Please make every effort to attend. Press reports last month suggest that Birmingham City Council is now insisting that homosexual issues are taught in all of its local authority-controlled schools by 2018.

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 25/02/2015 11:53

which works on young, impressionable minds to normalise homosexuality and to ignore their parents’ values.

Sounds great to me!

Just ignore the homophobes and dont get involved.

Or you could always organise a petition to Birmingham City Council supporting it Grin

ghostyslovesheep · 25/02/2015 11:55

Or you could always organise a petition to Birmingham City Council supporting it

I'd sign Grin

some people are bigots - sadly x

motherinferior · 25/02/2015 11:55

And perhaps ask innocently how exactly it's an attack on 'marriage' - given that it's now perfectly legal for two people of the same gender to marry - and/or 'the family', given how many same-sex parents there are around?

oldcroneat39 · 25/02/2015 11:57

Fuck. That's appalling. Kids learn about many things that are different to their parents values/ worldviews. That's the point isn't it?
Aren't they simply providing citizenship lessons? Homosexuality is legal. Not experiencing harassment because of your sexuality is there in law.

Original poster
SheHasAWildHeart · 25/02/2015 11:57

I have asked them what they think the government's 'hidden agenda' is - but no one has come back to me with an answer.

OP posts:
oldcroneat39 · 25/02/2015 11:58

I'd happily sign a petition against the against meeting (if that makes sense). I am just outside Birmingham and it's an option for secondary schooling.

owlonabike · 25/02/2015 12:00

I think the first paragraph of your original post would make an excellent facebook comment, if you're brave enough!

Original poster
SheHasAWildHeart · 25/02/2015 12:07

owlonabike I have posted some questions on their FB to ask more but they just seem to be ignoring me! The venue for a meeting is the local church - feels like one step forward and then ten (thousand) steps back.

OP posts:
lucymam · 25/02/2015 12:21

Schols regularly promote heterosexuality. I wouldn't mind if they did promote homosexuality.

SilentCharisma · 25/02/2015 12:25

I too would sign a petition against the against meeting!

MaidOfStars · 25/02/2015 12:25

I Googled it and found a link to a school FB page. The letter is signed by someone who is a member of SPUC (so anti-abortionist). This is a whole heap of agenda....

iklboo · 25/02/2015 12:26

Is that CHIPS as in 'on shoulder'?

MaidOfStars · 25/02/2015 12:27

Also, there are a lot of Americans posting on the page.

iklboo · 25/02/2015 12:27

Sorry!!! Misread the acronym! Blush

iklboo · 25/02/2015 12:29

I would petition against the meeting too. 'Indoctrinate'?? WTF?

oldcroneat39 · 25/02/2015 12:36

Could someone pm me the fbook info? I am curious as to how close to my area this affects.

MaidOfStars · 25/02/2015 12:40

Guardian article about resistance to this programme

worldgonecrazy · 25/02/2015 12:44

I've had a quick google and it appears on a couple of Islamic Facebook web pages. Given that both Islam and some forms of Christianity forbid homosexuality, I can understand that some people will be upset. But that doesn't make them any less a bigot - I'd rather children were taught that there is more than one form of sexuality, than taught it's okay to throw gay men off tall buildings.

MaidOfStars · 25/02/2015 12:44

I Googled the author of the letter. Here is a link to SPUC's Safe At School campaign:

Linky

An excerpt:
Here we look at how the new law on same-sex marriage will lead to the next generation growing up with an unquestioning acceptance of homosexual marriage and practices.

...like it's a bad thing.

countessmarkyabitch · 25/02/2015 13:52

Fuck them, who cares what they think? They are being left behind, its all shifting anyway, with or without them.
There should be much more "promoting" of homosexuality. We should totally be indoctrinating our children to see it as normal, acceptable, and nothing at all remarkable.

Original poster
SheHasAWildHeart · 25/02/2015 15:49

On a kind of related point I think it's phrases such as the "sanctity of marriage" and that same-sex relationships are an attack on marriage that really grates me. It's as though straight people are so 'respectful' of marriage and oh we better not let gay people get married because they will destroy marriage as we know it! As a divorced straight woman I find that laughable!

OP posts:
Original poster
SheHasAWildHeart · 25/02/2015 15:51

And tbh I still don't understand what the letter writers think the government will 'get' by 'turning' us all gay?! Are they planning a secret gay army to take over the world?! Seriously what benefit would it be to the government or Department of Education?

OP posts:
GiantGaspingSatanicCyst · 25/02/2015 15:56

I didn't have to read any further than 'Saw this on FB' to know what kind of utter loonspuddery would be appearing Grin bit also Sad and Angry tbh. It's depressing how much rank stupidity and hatred still swills about in the world.

RandomNPC · 25/02/2015 16:03

I take it that it's the usual religious fuckwits circulating this?

Lottapianos · 25/02/2015 16:08

'There should be much more "promoting" of homosexuality. We should totally be indoctrinating our children to see it as normal, acceptable, and nothing at all remarkable.'

Quite right. 'Sanctity of marriage' - oh please! How incredibly depressing and ridiculous.

People who think like that children can be turned gay and 'indoctrinated by homosexuality' like that letter writer are terrified of homosexuality arent' they? Properly scared by it. Wonder why Hmm Wink