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Sadiq Khan backs teaching of LGBT lessons

AMID growing protests in Birmingham over LGBT education, the mayor of London has once again reiterated his backing for same-sex education in schools.

Writing to headteachers, London mayor Sadiq Khan said young people should be able to learn about "healthy relationships of all kinds."


In his letter, Khan wrote: "Our schools must be places where all children feel safe and included, regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation or that of their families," he said in the letter.

"Young people should be able to learn about healthy relationships of all kinds, and that includes LGBTQ+ relationships.

"I am proud to be mayor of a city that embraces differences and celebrates diversity.

"Bigotry, intolerance and discrimination have no place in London.

"This is why you have my total and full support as you equip students to make safe and informed decisions, show that LGBTQ+ relationships are part of everyday life, and ensure that all young Londoners can feel proud of who they are."

Demonstrations against LGBT education has been raging in Birmingham since March, with parents saying the lessons weren't age-appropriate.

Protests are once again set to start today (13).

Shakeel Afsar, the protest co-ordinator, said the campaign against Anderton Park School in Sparkhill will continue as they were displeased with the school's stance that "it's okay to be gay."

"We were intending not to resume the protests but the head teacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson recently tweeted an image of more LGBT books she had got for the school," Afsar was quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail. "I was inundated with calls from angry parents who saw this as provocative, so we will be back again on Friday."

An injunction secured by Birmingham City Council that imposed an exclusion zone around Anderton Park Primary prevents protesters from gathering outside the school. But Afsar said protests would resume outside the injunction's exclusion zone.

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Lancashire Health Warning

Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health, Lancashire County Council

Via LDRS

Lancashire warned health pressures ‘not sustainable’ without stronger prevention plan

Paul Faulkner

Highlights

  • Lancashire’s public health chief says rising demand on services cannot continue.
  • New prevention strategy aims to involve entire public sector and local communities.
  • Funding concerns raised as council explores co-investment and partnerships.
Lancashire’s public sector will struggle to cope with rising demand unless more is done to prevent people from falling ill in the first place, the county’s public health director has warned.
Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi told Lancashire County Council’s health and adult services scrutiny committee that poor health levels were placing “not sustainable” pressure on local services, prompting the authority to begin work on a new illness prevention strategy.

The plan, still in its early stages, aims to widen responsibility for preventing ill health beyond the public health department and make it a shared priority across the county council and the wider public sector.

Dr. Karunanithi said the approach must also be a “partnership” with society, supporting people to make healthier choices around smoking, alcohol use, weight and physical activity. He pointed that improving our health is greater than improving the NHS.

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