Andrew Moffat, the assistant headteacher of Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, criticized for promoting homosexuality. A petition was signed by 400 Muslim parents and have been protesting over their children being taught about LGBT rights and homophobia.
Mr Moffat, who is gay, was awarded an MBE for his work in equality education and was one of three British teachers shortlisted for the Varkey Foundation’s “best teacher” prize. He says the feedback from most parents has been positive, and that the protests have arisen from the concerns of a “very small minority” of parents.
“I’m in exactly the right place and I have no plans to leave,” he said. “I know that some parents struggle with some aspects of the Equality Act and we’ll always talk and have respectful discussion.
He introduced the programme around four years ago. It includes the welcoming of people of any race, colour or religion and those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Mariam Ahmed, whose daughter attends the school, has organized a petition against the “No Outsiders” project.
The school said it aimed to educate children so they were able to accept differences in society.
Ms Ahmed said: “Sorry at this age it’s totally wrong. Children at this age don’t even know if they are coming or going, let alone knowing what sexual orientation they will become.”
He claims, he was threatened and targeted via a leaflet campaign after the school piloted No Outsiders, a programme run as part of sex and relationship education lessons.
Moffat, resigned from another primary school, Chilwell Croft Academ in 2013 , also in Birmingham, after a similar dispute with Muslim parents.He said then that some Christian parents had also complained.
“But, as I’ve said, the vast majority of parents understand that it’s in context. Yes, we’re talking about LGBT in a small amount of lessons but it’s always in context. The context is that living in the UK, you can be different, but you can get along with other people.”
>Juthy Saha
Birmingham School's Defence for LGBT Lessons
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