A Labour MP has come under intense criticism after she appeared to defend a group of parents who protested against lessons about homosexual relationships being taught at a primary school.
For weeks, the ‘No Outsiders’ programme on same-sex relationships and equality has been at the centre of a fierce row at Parkfield community school in Saltley, Birmingham, with some parents saying it promotes same-sex relationships.
On Friday around 600 Muslim children were withdrawn from the school for the day, parents told the Guardian newspaper. The school would not confirm the number. Parkfield school announced on Monday that it would be “pausing” the programme, following the backlash.
In a video posted to her Twitter account, Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, is shown telling parliament last week that she had been contacted by constituents who were concerned about young children being taught lessons about homosexuality.
In the clip, Mahmood suggests parents are correct to question the “age appropriateness” of the lessons in the context of their religion . She also criticised school bosses for not conducting an adequate consultation.
But her defence of the parents prompted outrage on social media, with some accusing her of “smearing gays as predatory and paedophiles”.
The human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, said “religion is no excuse for keeping young people intolerant or ignorant.”
“The lessons are about love and relationships, not about sex. They do not promote any sexual orientation,” Tatchell told HuffPost UK.
“Religious views can never be a legitimate reason to avoid tackling prejudice. Some Muslim pupils will grow up to be LGBT.”
Responding to the criticism, Mahmood wrote in a Medium blog on Tuesday that she has never said that LGBT relationships should not be taught to pupils.
She wrote: “[N]owhere have I said that RSE should not be taught to kids – because I don’t believe it shouldn’t be.
“Nowhere have I said that LGBT relationships should not be taught – because that’s not my position.
“Nowhere have I called for a return to the days of Section 28 – because that law was a dehumanising stain rightly removed by a Labour Government.
“And nowhere have I backed the terrible homophobic banners and hostile protests at Parkfield school in Birmingham – because they are wrong, defeatist and feed the very prejudices I want to help eradicate.
“These things are not my views – and are not my politics.”
The ‘No Outsiders’ programme is devised by award-winning teacher Andrew Moffat, who was awarded an MBE for his work in equality education.
Moffat, who is shortlisted for a world’s best teacher award, resigned from another primary school also in Birmingham after a similar dispute with Muslim and Christian parents.