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Tag: Andrew Moffat

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  • 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.

  • Stonewall affirms its support of No Outsiders

    Stonewall affirms its support of No Outsiders

    The UK’s largest LGBT+ charity Stonewall says it is pleased that Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its approached to LGBT+ acceptance.

    Stonewall UK, the UK’s largest LGBT+ charity has stood by Parkfield Community Primary and its “No Outsiders” campaign saying that it is vital that children “learn about and celebrate diversity at all ages”, but added that it was essential for the school to work with the parents and the wider community to resolved their concerns.

    The statement was released on the 6th March by Mo Wiltshire, the Director of Education for Stonewall.

    Today hundreds of parents protested outside the primary school in Birmingham and demanded that the “No Outsiders” classes be abolished and called for the resignation of its creator, Andrew Moffat.

    The school has been planning to deliver around five lessons to its pupils during the year.

    “This approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run”

    Wiltshire continued, “Schools that strive to create inclusive environments do so because they know the benefits this has for the whole school community. Not only do children feel able to talk about who they are and who their families are, but this approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run.

    “We work closely with many faith schools and faith communities around the country to help them deliver LGBT-inclusive education to children and young people.

    “We’re pleased Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all its pupils and we’re also pleased that it’s planning more conversations with parents and the wider community to resolve concerns, because the support of the community is essential in creating this inclusive approach.’

     

  • School stops LGBT+ lessons after hundreds of parents withdraw their children from classes

    School stops LGBT+ lessons after hundreds of parents withdraw their children from classes

    Around 600 children were removed by their parents from a school in Birmingham on Friday in protest of a lesson that helped children understand about LGBT+ life.

    Wokandapix / Pixabay

    The Parkfield Community primary school in Birmingham has cancelled lessons aiming to teach primary school-aged children about same-sex relationships and gender after the parents of around 600 students at the school withdrew their children in protest.

    The children are thought to be from predominately Muslim families, according to The Guardian.

    The lesson was the brainchild of Andrew Moffat, who was awarded an MBE for his work in LGBT+ equality through the campaign, No Outsiders, where the ethos was to promote LGBT+ equality and to question transphobia and homophobia in primary schools.

    Students were being taught five No Outsiders lessons each school year.

    In a letter to parents, the school said, “Up to the end of this term, we will not be delivering any No Outsiders lessons in our long term year curriculum plan, as this half term has already been blocked for religious education (RE).

    “Equality assemblies will continue as normal and our welcoming No Outsiders ethos will be there for all.

    The school has now confirmed that they have put the lessons on hold and will, according to The Guardian, “resume only after a full consultation with every parent”.

    The letter continued, “The discussions were a helpful first step and identified the key issues that are concerning parents, including the ethos, the books, the age appropriateness, the lessons and the assemblies. The agreed outcome of the meeting was the need to have a discussion with the school community about the No Outsiders curriculum and how it should be delivered.”

    Some parents have argued that their children are “too young” to be learning about same-sex relationships.

    One mother, Fatima Shah said, “We are not a bunch of homophobic mothers. We just feel that some of these lessons are inappropriate. Some of the themes being discussed are very adult and complex and the children are getting confused.

    “They need to be allowed to be children rather than having to constantly think about equalities and rights.”