Four more schools in Birmingham have stopped teaching lessons about diversity and LGBT issues following complaints by parents.
In a letter to parents, Leigh Trust - a Birmingham-based academy chain - says it is suspending the No Outsiders programme until an agreement with parents has been reached. The programme teaches tolerance of diverse groups, including those of different races, genders and sexual orientations.
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The letter follows the move by Parkfield Community School in Birmingham to halt the lessons earlier this month after protests by parents.
The No Outsiders programme, which teaches pupils about the Equality Act, was authored by the primary school’s assistant headteacher, Andrew Moffat.
Mr Moffat has been shortlisted for the $1m Global Teacher Prize - the winner will be announced at a ceremony in Dubai on Sunday.
Through the No Outsiders programme, pupils learn about the positive values of diversity, tolerance and acceptance, in a broad curriculum encompassing LGBT rights, same-sex relationships, gender identity, race, religion and colour.
Ofsted inspectors concluded that the lessons are “age-appropriate” and said that, at Parkfield, the majority of parents understood how the school helped their children, while a “very small but vocal” minority of parents were not clear about the school’s vision and felt they were not being listened to by staff.
Leigh Trust said it was stopping the programme at Leigh Primary, Alston Primary, Marlborough Junior, Marlborough Infants, and Wyndcliffe Primary School until after meetings with parents of all children had taken place.
It proposed that these meetings should begin after Ramadan, which this year lasts from 5 May to 4 June, as there was not enough time to meet all parents beforehand.
The letter adds that the trust hopes the meetings will ensure “a positive way forward with the delivery of the Equality Act”.
Humanists UK said the move to stop teaching LGBT classes after protests from parents who believed it was against their religious beliefs was “very alarming”.
Richy Thompson, director of public affairs and policy at the charity, said: “Schools have an important role to educate students about all types of relationships, and that includes teaching respect and tolerance for LGBT people.
“They also have a duty to protect the wellbeing of all of their students, including LGBT students, who are at higher risk of bullying without such education.
“We urge the Department for Education to take a strong stand and support these schools in reinstating LGBT lessons back into the classrooms.”
Campaign group the Accord Coalition has also criticised the decision. The group’s chair, Reverend Stephen Terry, said: “This latest news is extremely worrying.
“Parents are entitled to their views on sexuality and morality, and to set these beliefs before their children.
“A school’s task is to set out different views and approaches in society, with an overall duty to tackle prejudice and foster good relations between people of different characteristics.
“Teachers should be actively supported in this regard, not undermined.”
