LGBT/same sex marriage lessons in school

[aaron1867]

I am sure you've all been reading the news for the last few months and seen the ongoing row in Birmingham over lessons to teach children about LGBT/same sex marriage.

I have been pretty torn on this, I can understand the frustration of parents slightly saying is it age appropriate, but then the argument is lost elsewhere. These protests are led mainly by muslims, who protest directly outside the school. Some responses have been pretty poor, like "We don't want our child being turned gay" and "Our children shouldn't be taught about something our religion doesn't believe in".

This has been a pretty ongoing thing for months now. I'm pretty disappointed by the response of these protests. Outside the school? Jeez. Plus, we are in the UK, where we are becoming one of, if not the most inclusive countries in the world.

Should these lessons be in school? Would you happily see your child involved? Do the protesters have a point?   

[Woodsey]

Not at that age, way to young to be confusing kids with this sort of stuff.....

[Woodsey]

Although it probably gave the PC BBC a dilemma about which way to report this story with 2 minority groups pitching against each other 

[celtic]

I'd rather my children learned this kind of stuff rather than about a burd that got pregnant without having sex and the baby grew up, got crucified and came back to life after the weekend.

[AdamM]

It's only "age inappropriate" if you feel there's something wrong with same sex marriage that children need to be protected against.

No one is teaching the kids the mechanics of sex, straight, gay or otherwise. It's about respect, acceptance and inclusion.

Bigots gonna bigot.

[Doobs]

My kids don't give a shit.   There are all kinds of different parental relationships these days rather than one mummy and one daddy.  They get confused by all sorts when they grow up, so I am not sure why learning some kids have two mummies is going to put them into meltdown.   My 7 year old explained where babies come from earlier in the week, and I can assure everyone that the number of mummies and daddies isn't the big issue in her understanding.   And what it is about homosexuality that is so attractive that means seeing one book in a hundred where there are two mummies present is going to turn them?  

They say the teaching is age appropriate, and I have seen absolutely nothing to suggest it isn't.   I'd rather take the word of educators than some agitator outside school, who isn't a parent, and has likely never even read the material.

As parents, we always get asked if anything could be viewed as a bit risky or scary etc.  It never really is, and they get exposed to worse outside school.   You just try controlling youtube content for an 11 year old.  Good luck with that.  

It seems pretty clear to me that the protests are going to be far more traumatising for kids than anything they read in a book.  The people who are supporting the protestors need to have a long hard look at themselves.  Ironic this stuff is teaching them to be more tolerant of all minorities.  

[Mark_Porter]

In primary schools, it is called "relationships education", sex education starts at secondary school.

Relationships education includes:-

- the role of the family
- caring friendships
- respectful relationships
- online relationships
- being safe

At times throughout this, they mention that a family could include LGBT parents - ditto for a respectful relationship.

I have no time for anyone protesting this.

[DungBeetle]

In primary schools, it is called "relationships education", sex education starts at secondary school.

Relationships education includes:-

- the role of the family
- caring friendships
- respectful relationships
- online relationships
- being safe

At times throughout this, they mention that a family could include LGBT parents - ditto for a respectful relationship.

I have no time for anyone protesting this.

.

Sounds sensible.   Not sure why anyone would think otherwise.

[Jon MW]

In primary schools, it is called "relationships education", sex education starts at secondary school.

Relationships education includes:-

- the role of the family
- caring friendships
- respectful relationships
- online relationships
- being safe

At times throughout this, they mention that a family could include LGBT parents - ditto for a respectful relationship.

I have no time for anyone protesting this.

.

Sounds sensible.   Not sure why anyone would think otherwise.

This is the main problem - they are literally protesting about these lessons just mentioning that gay people exist.

Not at that age, way to young to be confusing kids with this sort of stuff.....

It really isn't that confusing - if you tell a child that 2 men can get married and 2 women can get married and a man and women can get married - they will just accept that this is a fact. It's only when you get older that you start projecting personal, cultural and societal prejudices and issues onto it.

In primary schools, it is called "relationships education", sex education starts at secondary school.
...

As an example of how - not confusing - it is, my primary school started sex education in year 6; covering sex, puberty and masturbation.

It may have raised giggles - but it's all perfectly straightforward to incorporate at that age.

I think all these issues should be taught in schools before they become relevant to pupils lives - primary school seems the perfect place.

[nirvana]

We're so inclusive we can't even call out these protests for what they are. Vanwinks should have something to say about this

[Rexas]

What exactly is it that they're teaching? I don't remember being taught about same sex relationships outside of the biology of it, and I think if we're going to judge what is and isn't appropriate we need to know the content of the lessons.

[Jon MW]

What exactly is it that they're teaching? I don't remember being taught about same sex relationships outside of the biology of it, and I think if we're going to judge what is and isn't appropriate we need to know the content of the lessons.

I think that was covered quite well from

In primary schools, it is called "relationships education", sex education starts at secondary school.

Relationships education includes:-

- the role of the family
- caring friendships
- respectful relationships
- online relationships
- being safe

At times throughout this, they mention that a family could include LGBT parents - ditto for a respectful relationship.

I have no time for anyone protesting this.

IIRC there was a story involving 2 male penguins raising a baby together involved somewhere.

[aaron1867]

What exactly is it that they're teaching? I don't remember being taught about same sex relationships outside of the biology of it, and I think if we're going to judge what is and isn't appropriate we need to know the content of the lessons.

Wow. Amazing. What do you think they’re teaching? What on earth couldn’t be “appropriate”?!

[Juperjiper]

How do you know these protests are mainly MUSLIM
Racistttt

[Mark_Porter]

What exactly is it that they're teaching? I don't remember being taught about same sex relationships outside of the biology of it, and I think if we're going to judge what is and isn't appropriate we need to know the content of the lessons.

Wow. Amazing. What do you think they’re teaching? What on earth couldn’t be “appropriate”?!

Autumn - chat up lines
Winter - kissing (french v english)
Spring - sexual positions
Summer - Gay, lesbians, trans - 10 easy steps to be less binary

Exams to follow - written, practical & oral