Alum Rock School In Sex Education Row Urged To Come Together With Parents
8 March 2019, 10:17 | Updated: 8 March 2019, 11:27
Parents and staff at an Alum Rock school, which is at the centre of a sex education storm, have been urged to come together.
It's over fears that protests at Parkfield Community School over the teaching of LGBT relationships, is fuelling hate and division.
#LISTEN These parents outside Parkfield Community School in #AlumRock spoke to #CapitalReports about their children being taught about LGBT relationships. They believe it should be stopped #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/gM6kodQPe4
— Capital Brum News (@CapitalBIRNews) March 8, 2019
The school has mainly Muslim pupils and parents are arguing the teaching of the programme goes against their faith
It was reported the school was temporarily ceasing the lessons following protests from parents, but they'll now reportedly continue teaching about LGBT relationships after Easter.
It has also been reported that more than 300 parents have signed a petition against the No Outsiders programme, after some took the decision last week to withdraw their children from school in protest.
#LISTEN Fiyaz Mughal from @FaithMattersUK told #CapitalReports he thinks parents protesting outside Parkfield Community School in #AlumRock are "hypocrites" pic.twitter.com/eoXYP2Uf5L
— Capital Brum News (@CapitalBIRNews) March 8, 2019
Birmingham city councillor John Cotton said: "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 co-operation 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."
