- Saturday, April 20, 2024
By: Keerthi Mohan
HUNDREDS of students could be withdrawn from a Birmingham school if classes on LGBT rights aren’t suspended, protesters warned.
Anderton Park Primary school has been facing demonstration from parents who argue their children are too young yo learn about same-sex relationships.
Shakeel Afsar, whose niece and nephew attend the school, said a mass withdrawal could take place if the school refuses to suspend LGBT rights classes.
Afsar told The Independent: “If our letter or petition is not listened to then we will go forward with a mass withdrawal of the school. At least 400 students [would be withdrawn]. Unfortunately the headteacher is putting us into a bracket of homophobia and she is not wanting to talk. She is not helping the situation at all.”
Anderton Park Primary is the second school in the city to face demonstrations over its equality lessons. The Parkfield Community School suspended its No Outsiders programme, which promotes LGBT rights, after parents withdrew children from classes amid protests.
Meanwhile, The National Association of Headteachers said both teachers and students were frightened by the protests taking place outside the schools.
General Secretary Paul Whiteman wrote in The Times: “Teachers have been threatened with physical harm and some children have been left scared to visit school. Schools should be a place of safety and calm.
“Protests do nothing to help schools achieve their public duty or create the conditions children need to learn. The protests are irresponsible and they should stop.”
