School children in Scotland could be ‘indoctrinated’ by teaching on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) issues, as a controversial campaign pushes for a nationwide roll-out.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other leading politicians have pledged their support for the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign, which aims to promote homosexuality, transsexualism, same-sex parenting and pro-LGBT sex education in schools.
Glasgow and Edinburgh schools will pilot a training scheme by TIE in October, but the group wants training to be rolled out across the country as a “required qualification” for teachers.
Trojan horse
TIE calls for teaching on a number of LGBT issues and topics to be made a compulsory part of the curriculum, including:
During his time as Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, David Robertson described the campaign as a “Trojan horse to impose an ideological perspective on all pupils”.
He has also accused TIE of attempting to “indoctrinate school pupils with one particular perspective on moral and sexual ethics and one which is contrary to mainstream Christianity”.
Prejudice
In a letter to the Sunday Herald this week, Revd Robertson stressed that teachers do have a “duty to answer questions, correct untruths and tackle prejudice”.
It would be excellent if Scottish teachers were trained in what real Christianity is
“I look forward to the Scottish Government funding the training of teachers to help them understand the Christian faith so that they can tackle the untruths and prejudices that Christian pupils face.”
Arguing that Christian pupils are often bullied and that Christians are called “homophobes and bigots”, he added: “It would be excellent if Scottish teachers were trained in what real Christianity is and taught how to support those who are mocked, ridiculed and bullied because they believe in Jesus Christ.”
Lack of support
In August last year, TIE called for the Scottish Parliament to “urge” the Government to enforce a pro-LGBT agenda in schools via a public petition.
But the Public Petitions Committee, convened by Labour MSP Michael McMahon, decided the group’s request had “little support” from Government, local authorities and other organisations.
Mr McMahon said the committee had sympathy for LGBT students who experience “bullying and social isolation” in Scottish schools.
However, he pointed out that making LGBT issues a statutory part of the national curriculum would represent a departure from the historic non-prescriptive position taken by Scotland’s education system.