Parents need to exercise their rights to challenge RSE lessons
by Will Jones, Christian Today:
The government has issued guidance to local authorities advising how to handle school protests by parents against the teaching of LGBT and other controversial subjects in Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). The advice includes liaising with police and imposing fines for non-attendance, which suggests the Department for Education (DfE) is in combative mode.
However, the guidance also stresses that schools should consult with parents about the content of teaching and that it is ‘right’ that schools should reflect parents’ views.
In saying this, it is in line with the law and with fundamental human rights. Article 26(3) of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: ‘Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.’
Protocol 1, Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (read into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998) states: ‘In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching is in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.’
It is important for parents and schools to be aware that there is nothing compulsory about teaching controversial LGBT lesson content. It is perfectly possible to comply with the law and teach RSE in ways which respect parent’s views and concerns. The new law, which mandates RSE in all schools from September 2020, is very flexible in what the lessons may look like, including making allowance for faith-based schools to teach a curriculum that is consistent with their faith convictions.
Schools which opt to teach a controversial programme like No Outsiders or All About Me (many of them originating in Queer Theory or the United Nations’ Comprehensive Sexuality Education agenda) are doing so by choice. They can be challenged on this, and on what provision they are making for those who object to the content.
Read also: Something rotten in the state of England, Voice for Justice UK:
[clip] The Department for Education has issued new advice to schools, specifically aimed at handling parental protests over LGBT teaching outside Primary schools. Entitled Primary school disruption over LGBT teaching / Relationships Education: Advice for Local Authorities on steps to manage issues, it has reportedly been sent to all head teachers. VfJUK is in possession of a copy but, as far as we can ascertain, you will not find any reference to this document on the DfE website, which is why a link cannot be provided. We are profoundly disturbed.
Ed: Voice for Justice UK have now announced ‘Thank you to all our loyal supporters who have bombarded the DfE over the last few days, requesting copies of their advice, Primary school disruption over LGBT teaching / Relationships Education: Advice for Local Authorities on steps to manage issues. The DfE have at last come clean and published the advice on their website. But would they have done it, VfJUK asks, had it not been for all of you? Read the advice in full here.
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