Anti-gay bullying books withdrawn

[Uthman]

A council has withdrawn books for an anti-homophobia programme at two primary schools following an outcry from predominantly Muslim parents.

Bristol City Council said it temporarily removed books and teaching materials at Easton Primary School and Bannerman Road Community School.

This was so they can "meet their legal responsibilities and operate safely".
Members of Bristol Muslim Cultural Society said parents were outraged by the lack of consultation.

The materials are mostly storybooks aimed at five to 10-year-olds.
Farooq Siddique, community development officer for Bristol Muslim Cultural Society and a governor at Bannerman Road, said many schoolchildren, 70% of whom are Muslim, were too young to define heterosexuality and homosexuality.

'Not a priority'

He said: "The agenda was to reduce homophobic bullying, and all the parents said they were not against that side of it, but families were saying to us 'Our child is coming home and talking about same-sex relationships, when we haven't even talked about heterosexual relationships with them yet.'

"In Islam homosexual relationships are not acceptable, as they are not in Christianity and many other religions, but the main issue is that they didn't bother to consult with parents. There was no option to withdraw the child."

He added: "Homosexuality is not a priority to parents, but academic achievement is. This just makes parents think 'What the heck is my child being taught at school?'."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "All Bristol schools have a legal duty to report and deal with homophobic harassment as part of the curriculum since April 2007.

"As part of this, schools can choose to seek specialist advice and training on topics such as homophobia.

"We are now liaising with community forums in the city, local clerics, teachers' unions, the Institute of Community Cohesion and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to ensure that the topic can be addressed in an inclusive manner in the curriculum."

Source

 

[muslimah_online]

wow.. already learning about sexuality in primary school?

 

[barney]

The curriculum for that is secondary school, year 7.

What was the "operate safely" bit for. Had they been in some danger from someone?

 

[Uthman]

Had they been in some danger from someone?

Most probably, it's not referring to physical danger here.

 

[barney]

:rollseyes:rollseyes:rollseyesYeah, they were probably thinking about the moral danger!

 

[جوري]

there is no point whatsoever in discussing any form of sexuality with seven year olds!
any more than there is a point of handing birth control pills to 11 year old girls...

if you'll shrug your shoulders at either, then truly am I glad that there are concerned and angered parents that object to the introduction of this form of 'education'.

If seven year olds are ready for the story of two men getting bent, then they are ready for quantum physics and natural philosophy.. which frankly should be the main purpose of going to school. expanding the mind not broadening the moral depravity!


cheers

 

[barney]

Well we have to look at that in a cultural and sociological light.
in Ancient Egypt it was common for the wealthy to have male and female concubines as young as 6 or 8 or 9 years old.

Sure we can veiw it now in a enlightened manner, but it hasnt always been that way.

 

[جوري]

Well we have to look at that in a cultural and sociological light.
in Ancient Egypt it was common for the wealthy to have male and female concubines as young as 6 or 8 or 9 years old.

Sure we can veiw it now in a enlightened manner, but it hasnt always been that way.

12-13 year olds headed armies, sponsored families and ruled kingdoms, but we don't live in those times any more.. under any light, I really don't see how people's life style choices is apposite or appropriate for the classroom?

I don't want my 7 year old nephew learning about two naked men fondling each other, let alone putting any form of moral quandary on it.. I find it very unfortunate that some law makers think it apropos, and all I can say is power to the people for voicing their concerns!


cheers

 

[barney]

Are morals a Sociological thing decided by laws or are they decided by God?
Do morals change as time goes by because God is changing his mind?
Did we misunderstand his meanings in the past to allow slavery?
Is Sex with a slave OK now? assuming i could buy one?
Would a US soldier who took a woman as war booty and possessed her be technically following Gods laws, even if he was an Agnostic?

 

[جوري]

Are morals a Sociological thing decided by laws or are they decided by God?
Do morals change as time goes by because God is changing his mind?
Did we misunderstand his meanings in the past to allow slavery?
Is Sex with a slave OK now? assuming i could buy one?
Would a US soldier who took a woman as war booty and possessed her be technically following Gods laws, even if he was an Agnostic?

your answer and to many other specific Q's on jurisprudence can be answered using the search key, I believe it to be the third from your anatomical right?

without further digressing into unrelated shenanigans, this topic is of homosexuality, an act considered a sexual deviance not 30 years ago in the DSM.. and still in by many not brave enough to sound politically incorrect. God's laws aren't subject to the tides and whims of libbys!

Is homosexuality immoral (yes) by the lowest common denominator a form of adultery.. there is really nothing more to discuss.. do I advocate hate crimes? (No) not any form, not against Sophie Lancaster a 20 year old goth girl or two men who like to get bent with each other. People however, ought to keep their sexual lives private and out of classrooms especially those addressing 7 year olds. It is the sort of thing I don't even want to hear a complain or a whimper about-- I need to be up at 4:30 AM and have nothing further to imapart on the subject-- I am not suddenly going to see how wrong this all is because you pull your 'trump cards' or what appears in your own mind to be a trump card...

cheers!

 

[barney]

Night PA!

Bah.

**Puts trump cards back in pack**

 

[Ebtisweetsam]

Council did the right thing. School isnt a place to learn about this stuff....
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;school playground is enough.

 

[Muezzin]

Slavery, Ancient Egypt and general moral decadence?

Really, people, if we must drive threads off-topic, we can at least do it in style. I've yet to see an off-topic post about Jumanji, for instance.

 

[Whatsthepoint]

Children are taught how they should respect different cultures, religions and that sort of stuff, so I see no reason why they shouldn't be taught to respect other things or minorities, namely homosexuals.
I think 7 year olds are to young for this though.

 

[Amadeus85]

Its one of the good point of appearance of muslim immigrant in western Europe. They can help to stop the gay propaganda.

 

[barney]

Slavery, Ancient Egypt and general moral decadence?

Really, people, if we must drive threads off-topic, we can at least do it in style. I've yet to see an off-topic post about Jumanji, for instance.

The anti gay book withdrawal reminds me sometimes of how Alan Parrish (played by Robin Williams in the 1995 blockbuster Jumanji), found a book with dark ,and possibly immoral, secrets in it. He had to wait 26 years trapped in the ignorance of Jumani, until he had matured enough to be exposed to such things, (although the things in question were more monkeys and Rhino's and big-game-hunters...they metaphorically in my mind stand for Gay rights propaganda)

 

[aadil77]

Its one of the good point of appearance of muslim immigrant in western Europe. They can help to stop the gay propaganda.

lol! yh

 

[MTAFFI]

The anti gay book withdrawal reminds me sometimes of how Alan Parrish (played by Robin Williams in the 1995 blockbuster Jumanji), found a book with dark ,and possibly immoral, secrets in it. He had to wait 26 years trapped in the ignorance of Jumani, until he had matured enough to be exposed to such things, (although the things in question were more monkeys and Rhino's and big-game-hunters...they metaphorically in my mind stand for Gay rights propaganda)

lol.... amazing i never realized until now

 

[MTAFFI]

i have to give a hand to the parents on this one, i dont think children should be exposed to this. Furthermore, I dont really think society should be exposed to this, there is nothing right about to men joined at or between the hips and the same with women. I am not saying kill all the gays, I am just saying it was better when they were all in the closet

 

[Trumble]

The agenda here was not to pursue some sinister 'pro' gay agenda but to combat homophobic bullying. How well the material actually succeeded, or how inappropriate it may have in fact been, I can't comment on as (just like you) I haven't seen it. However, the simple fact is that 'playground' education on any subject sex related - in the UK at least - is years in advance of 'classroom' education. If you don't get the message across when they are young it will be too late to shift the attitudes already there. The message here is that it is wrong to bully or abuse gay people (or in the case of kids people including other kids they think might be gay, which is NOT always the same thing), not to 'promote' homosexuality.