The education secretary has weighed into the row about LGBT lessons in primary schools, warning that parents should not be given a veto on what schools teach.
Damian Hinds said it was right that parents were consulted and involved in developing how schools deliver relationships education, but insisted “what is taught, and how, is ultimately a decision for the school.”
His intervention was welcomed by headteachers who have been calling for more support from the government in the face of spreading protests against relationships lessons that teach primary school children about LGBT families.
Protests began earlier this year at Parkfield community school in the Saltley area of Birmingham, but opposition has since spread to other schools in the city and further afield, with some parents demanding that the lessons should be halted.
In a letter to the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) made public on Tuesday, Hinds said reports of teachers feeling intimidated were very concerning. “We want schools to consult parents, listen to their views, and make reasonable decisions about how to proceed.
“We trust school leaders and teachers to make the right professional choices and act reasonably when considering consultation feedback, and are clear that dedicated public servants faithfully discharging their duty have an absolute right to feel confident and safe.”
While many schools are already providing relationships and sex education (RSE), from September 2020 it will become a compulsory part of the curriculum with primary school children from the age of four taught about healthy relationships, and sex education will be compulsory in all secondary schools.
Under the new measures, parents will not be allowed to withdraw their children from relationships classes and, from the age of 15, pupils will be able to choose to opt into sex education regardless of their parents’ wishes.
Hinds urged schools to begin consulting with parents now, ahead of the changes.
“It is regrettable that myths and misinformation about the forthcoming relationships education changes in primary schools, circulated often by individuals with no links to the education system, are undermining the hard work of headteachers, and the legitimate right of parents to be consulted on what their children are being taught about relationships,” he said.
“It is important that we continue to work hard, in partnership with [schools], to dispel myths and reinforce the fact that these important changes to relationships education will ensure all children learn about the wide variety of relationships in society throughout their school careers.”
There has been frustration among some school leaders about a lack of leadership from government on the issue. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, welcomed Hinds’ intervention: “We are pleased to see the secretary of state making his views known and reaffirming the expectations that the Equality Act places on schools.
“Schools should be a place of safety and calm, and everyone in the community has a responsibility to maintain that atmosphere. Protests do nothing to help schools achieve their public duty or create the conditions children need to learn.”
