Schools ‘are trying to bring back Section 28’
SCHOOLS have been accused of reviving a controversial rule banning the promotion of homosexuality in the classroom.
Ministers have ordered an immediate investigation into evidence suggesting dozens of schools and academies have been enforcing the rule – known as Section 28 – ten years after it was abolished.
The law, introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s Government, was blamed for inciting discrimination against gay people and was repealed by Tony Blair in 2003.
Ministers are said to be ‘concerned’ about the disclosures. Department for Education officials are looking into the schools, whose policies include
‘Must ensure they don’t discriminate’
clauses replicating Section 28 by singling out homosexuality as an issue.
According to research by the British Humanist Association, at least 44 schools and academy groups in England have sex and relationship education policies that either echo the controversial clause or appear not to be aware that it had been repealed.
Among those listed are the Grace Academies, three schools in the West Midlands which describe themselves as having a Christian ethos.
The group’s policy, published on its website, says: ‘Objective discussion of homosexuality may take place in the classroom, including discussion of homophobic behaviour.’ But it adds: ‘The governing body will not permit the promotion of homosexuality.’
The Crest Academies, which runs two single-sex schools in North West London, also bans the ‘promotion of homosexuality’.
Some schools identified by the researchers have already taken their policy statements down and it is unclear whether the phrasing was a deliberate signal or an oversight.
But the DfE said it would be looking into the schools, adding that singling out homosexuality was ‘unacceptable’. It said: ‘All schools can draw up their own sex education policy but they must ensure they do not discriminate unfairly on grounds of sexual orientation.
‘Our sex and relationship education guidance makes it clear that schools should not promote any sexual orientation.’
Section 28 was a clause in the Local Government Act 1988 which prevented councils from allowing teaching which promoted the ‘acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’.
It was introduced by the Tories in response to evidence of Left-wing councils promoting gay relationships in schools. It was repealed by Labour with the Conservatives’ support.
Section 28 also prevented councils spending money on educational materials and projects perceived to promote a gay lifestyle.
While no one was ever prosecuted under the section, it was considered homophobic and had a wide effect.
Libraries refused to stock gay newspapers, while gay websites were blocked on school and college computers. Teachers were confused about what they could say and do, and were unsure whether they could act when pupils faced homophobic bullying.
In 2009 David Cameron issued an extraordinary apology on behalf of the Conservative Party for the legislation, seen by some as deeming homosexuality as unacceptable. He said the party had ‘got it wrong’ when it introduced the law in the late 1980s. Mr Cameron has overseen the change in the law that will allow samesex couples to marry.