The creator of the controversial LGBT-promoting ‘No Outsiders’ programme has accepted that people should not be expected to “celebrate” LGBT lifestyles.
Andrew Moffat said that after listening to criticism he has changed his views.
Last year, parents protested against Parkfield School in Birmingham for “aggressively promoting homosexuality” through the scheme, and withdrew approximately 600 pupils.
The former Assistant Head of Parkfield Community School recently published a new version of the scheme, titled ‘No Outsiders: Everyone Different, Everyone Welcome’.
Moffat said while he is “happy to be gay” himself, “I don’t expect you to celebrate my sexual orientation with me”.
He said he is anticipating a “roar of disapproval” from LGBT activists, but adds: “as much as I say I wasn’t wrong, I can’t just absolve responsibility”.
I don’t expect you to celebrate my sexual orientation with me
Moffat says he introduced the programme to teach children about ‘British values’ and the Equality Act 2010.
But parents said the lessons were used to push his personal preferences and promote homosexual and transgender lifestyles.
Modules for eight-year-olds on marriage and family used the books ‘King and King’, about a homosexual prince, and ‘Mommy, Mama and Me’, about a child with two female parents.
The school halted the scheme following parents’ protests, but ran a modified version called ‘No Outsiders for a faith community’ from September 2019.
The Christian Institute’s Deputy Director for Communications Ciarán Kelly said: “Teaching ‘respect’ should not involve promoting particular beliefs or lifestyle choices. That includes same-sex relationships.
“Schools are told not to discriminate in how they educate or treat pupils, but the Equality Act is clear that respecting people does not mean having to agree with them.
“State schools are under a legal duty to provide education without indoctrinating children, or seeking to recruit them to any cause or campaign.”
Read Equipped for Equality, our short guide for parents and pupils debunking the myths of what the Equality Act actually requires schools to do. Or watch the video series.
Christian teachers, parents and pupils are increasingly facing difficulties as the education system becomes more secular. Pressure groups with their own agendas are approaching schools offering advice, training and resources. Often this is backed up with vague appeals to the ‘Equality Act’ to make schools feel they have no alternative but to follow the advice given.