Parents should choose nurseries and schools on criteria such as whether they feature same-sex family books and how they mark LGBT History Month, a homosexual campaign group has said.
Parents should also walk past schools at the end of the day to listen out for any discriminatory language, the ‘Inclusion Matters’ guide states.
The guide has been criticised by an education group which said young children should be kept away from the “complicated adult lens of LGBT issues”.
LGBT-focus
Although the document acknowledges other types of bullying, its overwhelming focus is on LGBT issues.
In a checklist for parents, it says parents should ask how a secondary school marks LGBT History Month and the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
For those considering nurseries and primaries, it says parents should ask whether books in the library show a “variety of different families”, including same sex families.
‘Heteronormative assumptions’
It also challenges the use of the word “tolerance”, and encourages parents to question whether school policies are guilty of making “heteronormative assumptions” by using language such as “Mother” or “Father”.
Praising schools for “actively promoting LGBT+” issues in their curricula, in events and with organisations they support, the document also says parents could recommend an “LGBT+ role model” to visit the school.
The guide is being promoted by P3:PROUD.PROFESSIONAL.PARENTS., an organisation campaigning on LGBT+ issues, and the Diversity Role Models group.
‘Confusion’
Chris McGovern, Chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, criticised the guide.
“All children should be taught the ‘golden rule’ of treating others as they would wish to be treated”, he said.
“Requiring youngsters to see the world through a complicated adult lens of LGBT issues is, however, likely to confuse and trouble many younger children”, McGovern commented.
‘Respect’
Last year, some parents pledged to remove their children from an upcoming “transgender day” at a Church of England primary school in East Sussex.
Spokesman for The Christian Institute Simon Calvert said: “Of course we want children to respect all people, but we don’t have to introduce very young children to every conceivable lifestyle in order to teach respect.”