Parents not able to block school sex ed classes says minister

Britain’s education secretary, Damian Hinds, has sided with school principals in an ongoing row with a minority of parents who don’t want their children to learn about issues affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community.

Some parents and faith groups have protested about the “No Outsiders” section of new relationships classes, which teach students about diversity, including LGBT rights, and issues around race and religion.

But Hinds said that, while parents should be consulted about the planned new classes, and have input into developing them, “what is taught, and how, is ultimately a decision for the school”.

He said parents will not be allowed to veto whether or not the subject is taught.

In an open letter on Tuesday to the National Association of Head Teachers, a trade union and professional association representing more than 28,500 members in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, he said he was troubled by accounts of teachers feeling intimidated as they crossed parents’ picket lines around schools.

“We want schools to consult parents, listen to their views, and make reasonable decisions about how to proceed,” he wrote. “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.”

Protests about the classes began earlier this year at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, which was piloting the new program, and demonstrations subsequently spread to several other schools.

While relationships lessons are already being taught in several UK schools, they will become compulsory for children as young as 4 in September 2020. At the same time, it will be mandatory for older, secondary school students to attend sex education classes.

Some parents have said they want to control what children learn about relationships and sex and that it is not the job of schools to teach such things.

“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,” Hinds wrote.

He said the new lessons will “ensure all children learn about the wide variety of relationships in society throughout their school careers”.

And he noted that individual schools will be able to decide the details of the new classes and can choose to teach about same-sex relationships, if they “consider it age appropriate”, regardless of the lobbying of parents.

Hinds said the classes will ensure children leave school “prepared for life in modern, diverse Britain”.