THEGAYUK

Tag: No Outsiders

All the latest breaking news on the No Outsiders campaign. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on No Outsiders.

  • Parents are permanently banned from protesting LGBT+ lessons outside schools

    Parents are permanently banned from protesting LGBT+ lessons outside schools

    Parents are no longer permitted to protest outside of primary schools over the teaching of subjects such as LGBT+ equality.

    A judge has ruled that parents, mainly from an Islamic background, but included members from other religious backgrounds, will not be able to protest outside a school in Birmingham.

    Parents were angered by the No Outsider lessons which said went against their religious beliefs. This led to reports that hundreds of pupils had been removed from the school by their parents. Parents have also claimed that the No Outsider lessons are not “age-appropriate”.

    Anderton Park School and Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham became the focal points for protesters earlier this year after the schools started to deliver lessons to students, which covered LGBT+ families and gender expressions.

    An injunction against the protesters was created back in June – and Birmingham City Council “sought a court order to further protect the school and extend the ban, which has now been granted by High Court judge Mr Justice Warby” according to Sky News.

    Birmingham City Council claimed that the noisy protesters were disrupting lessons and causing stress to students and staff at the school alike. According to sources, 21 staff members were treated for stress relating to the protests.

    The judge ruled that the injunction did not “amount to unlawful discrimination against the protesters” adding, that the protesters had misunderstood and misrepresented that is being taught at the school”

    Founder of the Birmingham South Asians LGBT group, Khakan Qureshi told THEGAYUK,

    “I’m absolutely elated though we do need clarity on several points raised. This includes how to identify people who take part in protests and how to bring them to justice and having tighter regulations in having the power to arrest. 

    “Bear in mind, it wasn’t the content of the lessons which were contested but the nature of the protests. They were anti-social, caused a nuisance, disrupted the teachings of young children and caused potentially psychological harm. 

    “On a practical level, the protestors obstructed the highway and disturbed residents in the neighbourhood. 

    “It’s a really good day for teachers, pupils, the education system, councils and the LGBT+ community when common sense prevails”

  • Parents seek to move or home educate their children over No Outsiders classes

    Parents seek to move or home educate their children over No Outsiders classes

    Parents of children at the Parkfield Primary school have said that they plan to home educate or move their children to a different school.

    • Parents say they will home school their children

    • Parents say they held a mass walkout of their children on the 12th of July

    • Say they feel victimised and discriminated against

    • Offer an apology to the LGBT community

    In a statement, parents of children at Parkfield Primary School on the Alum Rock Community Forum have said that they will homeschool or move their children out of the school because of the No Outsiders programme. They have also said that they have felt discriminated against over the “hijacking” of their children’s education.

    Parkfield Primary, where 98 percent of pupils are Muslim, has become the centre of a row over whether children should be taught about same-sex relationships and differing gender expressions via a programme called No Outsiders.

    The No Outsiders programme deals with social issues, race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities, however, the parent’s protests have seemingly become a one issue protest, over the LGBT+ aspects of the lessons.

    Despite this, the parents claim in their statement that they “unequivocally condemn” the labels of bigots and homophobes that have been levelled against them since their protests and demonstrations were reported on back in March.

    They wrote, “We would like to reach out once again to our LGBT community to clear up any misconception, build bridges and strength [sic] our bond in this diverse community by offering our apology for any actions that may have upset them as this was not our intention”.

    Considering homeschooling

    Parents say that they feel that they’re not being listened, reaching an “impasse” with the school’s leadership team – saying that the school has an “unwillingness to build, repair and bridge this important relationship with parents”.

    The statement continues, “therefore as a consequence… are currently seeking to move their children to alternative local schools and considering homeschooling option to best sever [sic] the needs of their children’s educational needs”.

  • Boris Johnson: Kids need to be taught to reflect society

    Boris Johnson: Kids need to be taught to reflect society

    Speaking on LBC today, Boris Johnson said that pupils across the UK should be taught “about the world as it is”.

    Tory leader and Prime Minister hopeful, Boris Johnson fielded a call today, while on LBC with Nick Ferrari, from an organiser of Shetland LGBTQ, who asked the candidate whether children should be taught about LGBT+ relationships and acceptance in schools across the entire UK.

    The line of question comes after hundreds of mostly Muslim parents in Birmingham protested LGBT+ acceptance and relationship lessons being taught in schools through the No Outsiders‘ campaign.

    Answering the question, Mr Johnson said that he believed that, “People should be able to love whomever they chose” and said that the country was “all the greater” for that right.

    He told Nick Ferrari, “People should be able to love whomever they chose and that’s the way we live our lives in the UK. Our country is all the greater for it. I do think it’s important that kids are taught about the world as it is.

    He added that he believed that teachers and schools have “a responsibility to teach kids about the world as it is”.

    Hundreds of parents removed their children from the Parkfield Primary school in April in protest of the ‘No Outsiders’ lessons.

    When pushed further about whether the parents were right or wrong to take their children out of classes in schools in Birmingham, Mr Johnson continued, “I don’t think kids should unreasonably be taken out of school”

  • The guy who is leading the anti-No Outsiders protests at schools – doesn’t have kids at the school

    The guy who is leading the anti-No Outsiders protests at schools – doesn’t have kids at the school

    One of the leading voices of the protests in Birmingham against LGBT+ equality lessons in schools – doesn’t, in fact, have children at the school.

    Asfar seen arguing with MP Jess Philips over teaching No Outsiders at Primary schools in Birmingham.

    Shakeel Afsar has become one of the leading voices of protest at Anderton Park primary school in Birmingham where Muslim-majority parents are heard shouting “our kids, our choice”, “let kids be kids” over the decision by the school to include the “No Outsiders” equality lessons, which includes, in part, LGBT+ equality and acceptance.

    However, it turns out that Asfar doesn’t have children at the school. Last week he was filmed arguing with MP Jess Philips over her support for an exclusion zone around the school – to ensure that teachers and children at the school feel safe. He does however have a sister who has two children at the school, according to Sky News.

    Tensions have been mounting for weeks as parents have protested outside Anderton Park and Parkfield schools for weeks over, it turns out, two books, according to LGBT+ activist Khakan Quereshi, that are read in the “no outsiders” lessons, which take up a tiny proportion of total teachable time during the school year.

    Parents have also removed their children from the school. In April around 600 children were removed from Parkfield Primary school by protesting parents.

     

    Last week Asfar appeared on This Morning to debate whether LGBT+ acceptance should be taught in British schools. In the interview he said that parents at the school felt “that the LGBT community are becoming intolerant towards them and their religious beliefs”.

  • This MP nailed equality for all in the most perfect way

    This MP nailed equality for all in the most perfect way

    MP Jess Phillips managed to explains how the equality act protects Muslims and LGBT people – ‘you don’t get to pick and choose what equality you have’.

    Jess Phillips talks with a protester Shakeel Afsar outside the Anderton School in Birmingham

    The Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips managed to explain her belief that the current equality act protects Muslims and LGBT+ people, saying that the current protests against teaching LGBT+ education, in programmes like the No Outsiders campaign, is “damaging the reputation of a peaceful and loving community”.

    Embed from Getty Images

    Speaking outside a school in Birmingham where mainly Muslim parents have been protesting, the MP said, “I don’t agree with these protests, I don’t agree that you get to pick and choose which equality you can and cannot have.

    “Our equality laws protect us all. I want them to protect you. Actually I want to protect the Muslim community, which is getting a terrible… I want our Muslim community to be completely protected.

    “The worse thing about it is it’s damaging the reputation of a peaceful and loving community that I have lived in my entire life.”

    She continued to say that she was advocating for an exclusion area around the school to protect children the current wave of protests.

    Parents have been protesting outside the Anderton Park school in Birmingham in demonstrations similar as seen outside Parkfield Primary school last month.

     

  • Education expert warns drama, music and sports for girls will be next if No Outsiders isn’t reinstated

    Education expert warns drama, music and sports for girls will be next if No Outsiders isn’t reinstated

    As more schools announce that they are suspending the No Outsiders programme, an education expert says that the lessons must continue “in the community where it is most needed.”

    Speaking to THEGAYUK the University of Birmingham’s Colin Diamond says that the No Outsiders lessons must continue after four more schools in Birmingham followed in the footsteps of Parkfield Primary School and stopped the teaching of LGBT rights following complaints by parents.

    The No Outsiders lesson was the brainchild of Andrew Moffat, where the ethos was to promote LGBT+, disability, religious and gender equality and to help students question transphobia and homophobia in primary schools.

    He said, “We must be resolute and hold to the values of the Equalities Act and the Birmingham Curriculum Statement. Local dialogue is essential – but there are red lines here. No Outsiders and in particular the teaching of LGBT issues must continue.

    No music, drama and girls’ participation in sports

    RemazteredStudio / Pixabay

    In a stark warning, Diamond warns that if no action is taken that subjects such as music and drama could be wiped from the ciriculum could be wiped from UK schools.

    If No Outsiders did not continue in school Diamond added, “If it does not, I guarantee that the next targets will be music, drama, liberal humanities and girls’ participation in sports.

    “No Outsiders is taking off in schools across the UK: it needs to continue to thrive in the community where it is most needed.”

  • Parkfield School caves into the demands of protesting parents over LGBT+ lessons

    Parkfield School caves into the demands of protesting parents over LGBT+ lessons

    “Until a resolution can be reached No Outsiders will no longer be taught at Parkfield”

    The school at the centre of a row over teaching children about LGBT+ relationships has cancelled its lessons, THEGAYUK has learned. Parents of children at Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham, had been planning another protest outside the school this morning, but have called off the demonstration after the school said it would no longer offer the lessons, which taught primary school-aged children about same-sex relationships and gender expressions.

    The parents claim that the lessons infringe on their religious beliefs and that the lessons amounted to indoctrination of their children.  Around 98 percent of the school’s population are Muslim.

    A statement on the School’s website stated,

    “Nothing is more important than ensuring our children’s education continues uninterrupted.

    “Yesterday, both parents and the trust held constructive discussions with the Regional Schools Commissioner, and as a result of these discussions we are eager to continue to work together with parents, over the coming days and weeks to find a solution that will support the children in our school to continue their education in a harmonious environment.

    “Until a resolution has been reached, No Outsiders lessons will not be taught at Parkfield and we hope that children will not be removed from school to take part in protests.”

    “No evidence” that lessons weren’t age-appropriate

    In a report released earlier this week, Ofsted said there was no evidence the curriculum overly focused on LGBT issues and that it is taught in an age-appropriate way. In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities. Despite this, the No Outsiders programme has caused many parents of children at the school to demonstrate and around 600 children were removed from classes by their guardians at the beginning of March 2019.

    Parents “Welcome” the move

    In a statement on the Alumrock Community group, parents wrote that they welcomed the move and demanded that a new programme needed to be “negotiated”, writing

    We, the representatives of Parkfield Parents Group have had a positive meeting with the Department of Education to discuss serious concerns we have with the ‘No Outsiders’ programme and its implentation at Parkfield School.

    We made our position clear, that the No Outsiders programme cannot continue to be taught at Parkfield School and that a new programme needs be negotiated, with which parents are happy and meets the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

    The school have agreed that “Until a resolution has been reached , No Outsiders lessons will not be taught at Parkfield”.

    In view of this development, we have decided to postpone the protest for Thursday 14th March 2019. We will await further developments early next week when we expect detailed proposals to be tabled. We will then review our actions with respect to protests and schoolwide withdrawal of children.

    We have advised and notified parents that the protest scheduled for Thursday 14th March 2019 is not taking place and that we are keeping future protests under review inview of developments.

    We welcome these developments and reiterate that the school needs to work with parents in a spirit of partnership and cooperation and not against them in educating their children.

     

     

     

  • Parkfield parents in Birmingham plan to protest LGBT+ equality lessons again

    Parkfield parents in Birmingham plan to protest LGBT+ equality lessons again

    Parents of children at Parkfield Primary School are planning another protest outside the school over LGBT+ equality lessons.

    It’s a sad state of affairs as parents of children who attend the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham are set to demonstrate outside the school on Thursday morning from 8:20 AM till 9:20 AM, despite an Ofsted report that states that the lessons are age appropriate.

    Parents from the school who are apparently 98 per cent Muslim have questioned the age appropriateness of the lessons and argue that they had not been consulted with over the lessons, which have been labelled as “toxic”.

    Parents of children at the Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham have said that they will protest outside the school grounds every Thursday until the equality lessons, called No Outsiders, dealing with social issues, including LGBT+ relationships are cancelled permanently.  In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities.

    The school is due to provide just five of its No Outsiders lessons for its students over the course of the year.

    A poster, which is advertising’s the protest outside the school is being shared on Facebook.

    At the beginning of March around 600 children were removed by their parents in protest to the planned lessons. The school has said that it will continue with the lessons next term.

  • Ofsted says “No evidence” that Birmingham School’s No Outsiders lessons are age-inappropriate

    Ofsted says “No evidence” that Birmingham School’s No Outsiders lessons are age-inappropriate

    Ofsted has said there was no evidence the curriculum overly focused on LGBT issues and that it is taught in an age-appropriate way.

    Parents at the Parkfield Primary school in Birmingham had criticised the school’s No Outsiders lessons as age-inappropriate over some of its focus on LGBT+ relationships and gender expressions, but a report today from Ofsted has now said that the lessons are not taught in an age-inappropriate manner and do not overtly focus on LGBT+ issues.

    In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities. Despite this, the lessons have caused many parents of children at the school to demonstrate outside the school and around 600 children were removed from classes by their guardians at the beginning of March 2019.

    Headteacher David Williams described the report as “great news”, according to the BBC.

    The inspection by Ofsted was arranged after parents said that they were concerned over the leadership at the school.

    In his report, Ofsted’s senior inspector Peter Humphries said, “A very small, but vocal, minority of parents are not clear about the school’s vision, policies and practice.

    “This group of parents feel that staff do not sufficiently listen to their concerns.

    “Their view is that PSHE education and equalities curriculum focuses disproportionately on LGBT issues and that this work is not taught in an age-appropriate manner.

    “Inspectors found no evidence this was the case.”

     

  • Petition supporting Andrew Moffat’s No Outsiders programme surges

    Petition supporting Andrew Moffat’s No Outsiders programme surges

    A brand new petition in support of the No Outsiders campaign for Primary School ages gains thousands of signatures in just a few hours.

    Andrew Moffat’s No Outsiders campaign is getting a lot of love after a petition was created in support of the lessons which aim to teach primary school-aged children about LGBT+ acceptance, relationships and equality.

    Parkfield Primary school has become somewhat of a battleground as parents removed 600 pupils from the school in February, and then proceeded to demonstrate outside the school in protest at the lessons. The parents say that the lessons are not age appropriate and that they weren’t consulted with about the lessons.

    Critics of No Outsiders have called it “toxic” and parents and their children at the protest, last Thursday, shouted “shame, shame, shame” at the idea of teaching children that it is okay to be gay and Muslim.

    The No Outsider lessons include reading children, as young as five-year-old, story such as Mummy, Mamma and Me, which can be heard here:

    https://twitter.com/salxerribrooks/status/1103940178941374464

    The petition, which was created by Lacey McFadyen wll be delievered to Parkfield Primary School and reads,

    Andrew Moffatt is the deputy headteacher at Parkfield Community School near the deprived Bordesley Green area of Birmingham. Birmingham is home to a diverse range of people from different backgrounds and beliefs, which is what makes our city inclusive for everyone.

    Andrew’s “No Outsiders” programme reflects this and teaches children about inclusiveness and diversity. This ethos has been extended to parents too through parent/child workshops, where the message can be continued at home. The programme has also been extended to other schools in cities across the UK.

    Andrew also runs a “Parkfield Ambassadors” after-school club that creates opportunities for children at his school where 99% of students are Muslim to meet others of different races, religions and cultures around Birmingham.

    In May 2016 Ofsted awarded the Parkfield School ‘Outstanding’ status, recognizing Andrew’s project as a strength, saying: “The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength and permeates the school’s work. This is an inclusive school that celebrates diversity.”

    In November 2017 Andrew was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to equality and diversity in education.

    Programmes like “No Outsiders” are more than ever needed to ensure future younger generations learn about acceptance and respect of others.

    In recent media there has been a backlash of the project with concerns that inappropriate material is being taught to the children. This includes a concern over topics such as LGBT+ being included in the programme. Concerns raised have included the stereotype that LGBT+ is ‘inappropriate’ and ‘sexualised’. This project does not include topics of this nature and instead teaches children about different family dynamics in general.

    Please show your support for Andrew’s “No Outsiders” programme by signing this petition and to support the inclusion of LGBT+ topics in this programme.

    You can add your support by click here.

  • Birmingham Cllr, speaks out over Parkfield Parents LGBT Protest

    Birmingham Cllr, speaks out over Parkfield Parents LGBT Protest

    The Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, Cllr John Cotton has spoken out at the anti-LGBT protest held at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham.

    As hundreds of parents and students stood in protest outside Parkfield Community School yesterday shouting “Shame” over lessons aimed at teaching inclusivity and equality for LGBT+ people, one of Birmingham‘s leading politicians, Cllr John Cotton has spoken up to remind Birmingham’s residents that the city has been built on “tolerance and mutual respect” and that insulting language has no place in the city.

    His statement read,

    “Birmingham City Council’s first priority will always be to stand up for the rights of all children, whoever they are and whatever kind of family they are from. This city is built upon diversity and we value and celebrate difference as a strength.

    “For many years, the council has supported various programmes, including No Outsiders, as a means of promoting the values of the 2010 Equality Act and ensuring all protected characteristics are respected. We have also championed the importance of ongoing dialogue and consultation with parents, so everyone is clear about what is and is not being taught in the classroom.

    “We remain concerned at the continued protests by parents of Parkfield School and urge both the school and parents to come together in the spirit of cooperation in the best interests of the children. Parkfield School is an academy, but in spite of the restrictions this places upon the council’s scope to act, officers have been closely involved in supporting Parkfield and its staff.

    “We are working with the Regional Schools Commissioner – which is responsible for academies – to address this issue. Whilst we recognise that parents have concerns, continuing protests only serve to attract extreme fringe movements taking an opportunity to further messages of division and hate.

    “In recent days, we have been appalled to see attempts to divide the people of our city by using insulting and incendiary language targeting the LGBT community. This has no place in our city. Birmingham is a place of tolerance and mutual respect, where people of all faiths and none, all sexualities, all ethnicities, come together in pursuit of a common aim. This council will continue to champion these values and support all communities in putting them into action.”