School axes LGBT lessons after protest

A PRIMARY school has been forced to abandon anti-homophobia lessons following protests from Muslim parents.

Parkfield School in Birmingham has said it will ditch the ‘No Outsiders’ classes until after Easter while it consults with parents.

The school’s assistant head, Andrew Moffat, who is himself gay, created the lessons to promote tolerance of same-sex couples and other minorities. But strict parents said they objected because homosexuality is against their religion, while others said children were too young for such matters.

On Friday, parents said around 600 Muslim children were withdrawn from Parkfield for the day in protest. Mr Moffat has also been threatened and the school was daubed in graffiti as the row escalated in recent weeks. From 2020, all primary schools will teach gay and transgender issues as part of compulsory relationships education.

In a letter to parents yesterday, Parkfield confirmed the lessons would be suspended for several months and religious education would be taught instead.