Who’s the bigot?

Mar 18, 2019 by

from Voice for Justice UK:

Columnist Alice Thomson wrote in The Times last week, ‘Don’t let bigots win sex education battle’.   Fulminating over the prejudice of Muslim parents at Parkfield Primary school, who are objecting to the promotion of homosexuality and same sex marriage to children barely out of nappies, she proclaimed, ‘(this) primary school head teacher deserves our support in his clash with religious prejudice that harms all children’!

What wicked bigots these protestors are!  By contrast, her description of assistant head teacher Andrew Moffat makes him sound like a beleaguered latter day saint – which perhaps, within the parameters of the new LGBTQ+ religion, he is.  But a martyr to bigotry and prejudice?  No.

Mr Moffat claims that all he wishes to do is promote tolerance, and teach his pupils to care for others, whatever their age, religion, race, disability, gender or sexual orientation.  To this end he apparently encourages the use of story books with engaging titles such as, And Tango makes three(a tale about homosexual penguins), King and KingMommy, Ma and Me, and My Princess Boy.

Parkfield Primary school serves an area that is predominantly Muslim – where such ideas are as predictably popular as concrete boots.  So where is Mr Moffat’s tolerance for the faith community where he lives and works, and his respect for individuals who don’t share his views?

It would appear that, in his and Alice Thomson’s worlds, ‘tolerance’ works only one way.

Which would also appear to be the case with the draft RSE Regulations currently awaiting approval in Parliament.  It will be remembered that the new provisions aim to make Relationships Education mandatory for all Primary school aged children, Relationships and Sex Education mandatory for all Secondary school aged children, and Health Education mandatory for all.  They also downgrade what up to now has been the absolute right of parents to withdraw children from sex education to a right of request, subject to the head teacher’s approval – while from age 15 a child will be able to override any ruling and decide for him or herself.

The recent Government consultation reportedly attracted 40,000 responses – 11,186 direct submissions, and a further 29,000 signatures in response to two petitions (one of which was run by VfJUK).  Both petitions opposed RSE and supported the parental right of withdrawal, but analysis of the responses overall showed a clear majority against the Government proposals.  For example, 64% of respondents disagreed that the content of Relationships & Sex Education for secondary schools was ‘age appropriate’, while 58% thought the content of Relationships Education for Primary Schools was similarly inappropriate.

It would appear, however, that the Government has taken not the slightest account of these responses – certainly they have made no concessions to parental concerns, but have ploughed on regardless, making it obligatory for all schools to teach and promote LGBT life-style choices and practices.   Such teaching is in clear conflict with the teaching of all major religions, and violates Protocol 1, Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, giving parents an absolute right to have children educated in line with their religious or philosophical beliefs.  But this is apparently irrelevant.

Once again, we have selective, but systemically approved, prejudice and intolerance.

The date for Government debate and approval of these draft RSE Regulations has now been set for Wednesday, 20thMarch. But there is still all to play for.  Because the changes to the Regulations are by Statutory Instrument, whatever transpires in the debate, they cannot at this point be amended – but only approved or dismissed.  Please therefore make every effort to contact your MP, urging them to vote against the new Regulations and preserve the parental right of withdrawal.

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