Coming to a School Near You!

It happened in London, but you can bet that it is headed to your neighborhood soon. The British have lost another of their freedoms, which validates my "Rules for Liberals" Rule #2: Every law passed by a liberal results in a loss of freedom...

Parents could face criminal charges for opposing gay history month

By 365gay Newscenter Staff 03.09.2009 11:46am EDT

(London) Parents who removed their children from a London elementary school over lessons marking LGBT history month could face prosecution, officials say.

The UK observes gay history month in February each year and schools are encouraged to mark it with special classes as a way to teach tolerance.

More than 30 students were pulled out of classes at the George Tomlinson School in East London. The area is made up mainly of immigrant families, many of them Muslim.

Among the parents objecting to the classes was Pervez Latif, who kept his 9- and 10-year-old sons from going to school throughout the week.

“I didn’t want my children to be learning about this,” Latif said.

He said that he wrote a letter to the school explaining his objections and was told the children would be listed as truants if they were not in class.

The law allows for 19 excused days a year - additional days a student is not in class are viewed as truancy. But the school regards the removal of the students as an unexcused absence.
The penalties range from a fine to criminal charges.

“If I am faced with court action, then I will just explain that these are my views,” said Latif.
Special gay history lessons at the school ranged from references to famous gays and gay events in history classes to reading age appropriate books in literature classes.

Two gay-themed books were read in primary classes - ”King and King,” about a prince who falls in love with another prince, and “Tango Makes Three,” about two male penguins, Roy and Silo, who fall in love and adopt a baby penguin at a New York zoo.

Sarah Saeed was another of the parents who removed their child from the school for the week.
“It is not an appropriate age for the children to be learning such matters. We have our own way of explaining things to them and they should not be subjected to this,” she said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the school said no decision had been made on seeking charges against the parents.

“As part of the borough’s policy of promoting tolerance in our schools, children are taught that everyone in our society is of equal value,” the statement said.