MP defends parental involvement in LGBT equality teaching row

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Godsiff said: "Children, some as young as four or five, were telling parents about what they allegedly had been taught in lessons. This had caused parents concern."

He said some aspects specific to teaching of sexuality were not popular with more socially "conservative" parents.

He added: "There was no consultation with the parents, and the headteacher made it plain that no consultation was going to take place and no collective meetings with parents were held."

Mr Godsiff caused unrest on the Labour benches by refusing repeated calls for him to give way and allow interventions on the topic.

He said parents were "excluded entirely from the process" of how protected characteristics under the Equality Act were taught.

DUP MP Jim Shannon (Strangford) said: "I recently read a post which said it is not about homosexuality, heterosexuality, or trans sexuality.

"Stop promoting sexuality to our kids full stop. Let kids be kids. We need to protect the innocence of our children at all costs."

He said "enforced teaching" against the will of a parent is "not acceptable in any way, shape or form".

Labour MP Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South and Penarth) suggested the protests at the school were due to a small number of individuals "whipping this up, creating a myth and creating fear".

Labour MP Tracy Brabin, a shadow education minister but speaking from the backbenches, said: "I spent a couple of hours with the headteachers of these schools, and would you agree that while you're talking about the demonstrations, that the reason probably why the headteacher didn't have a public meeting was because in those public arenas she has been called a paedophile and worse?"

Mr Godsiff, who was urged to "stick up for" the headteacher by another Labour colleague, said meetings had taken place at other primary schools in Birmingham and said meetings with parents could have been organised - with police, councillors or MPs asked to be present if necessary.

The MP, who was previously reprimanded by Labour's chief whip after backing campaigners, later said after listening to different accounts he came to the conclusion that the parents who were protesting "had some valid reasons for doing so as the headteacher seemed totally unwilling to have meetings with the parents to address their concerns and to seek a compromise way of resolving the conflict".

He described the protesters as "mostly young mothers", adding they have "done nothing wrong, other than be good mothers who want to express concerns about what their children are telling them".

Mr Godsiff challenged allegations of "homophobic hatred" against the campaigners and referred to police witness statements and chants, such as "our children, our choice", "we are not homophobic", and "headteacher step down".

Mr Godsiff concluded his speech with an apology.

He told the Commons: "I regret the controversies which have arisen around the two schools in Birmingham. I believe they could have been avoided if the schools had taught the provisions of the Equality Act in different ways and taken the parents' concerns into account.

"For my part, I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused to any person of whatever sexual orientation by anything I've said or written.

"In particular, I apologise unreservedly to members of the LGBT community in Birmingham and throughout the country for anything I may have said or written which has caused offence to them.

"I can assure you it most certainly was not intended."

Labour's Angela Eagle (Wallasey) said teaching sex and relationship education in schools was something that "we should have been doing in this country generations ago".

She added: "And if we had have done it generations ago there would have been an awful lot of much happier and well adjusted people than those that have been monstered in the way that they have for the way that they are in a system that was disfigured by the effects of section 28."

Ms Eagle went on: "And yet here we are in the middle of a similar kind of moral scare which is being whipped up by people who have a different agenda to the well being of children and their adjustment to the facts and experience of 21st century life in the UK."

Ms Eagle became visibly upset and appeared close to tears as she spoke in the chamber.

Her voice breaking with emotion she said: "We know that the motivations of some of those involved in this are reactionary and they are to return us to an era where LGBT people should get back in the closet and hide and be ashamed of the way they are.

"We aren't going to get back in the closet or hide or be ashamed of the way we are and nor are we going to allow a generation of pupils that are now in school to go through what the pupils in the 80s had to go through because this chamber let them down and nor are we going to allow this to happen in the name of religion."

Mr Doughty added: "We have to remember this is in a context of a wider set of debates and deeply concerning comments that are being made, I'm sorry to say including by some of the candidates for the Conservative leadership, indeed, by newly elected MEP Ann Widdecombe.

"You know, really really horrific things which should be, quite frankly, from a by-gone age.

Mr Doughty said the UK has made a lot of progress in recent years and that this should be celebrated.

He said the UK has one of the most diverse and inclusive Parliaments, and that this should send a message.

He said: "I hope this sets an example to young people in our country that you can be who you are, because God made you too, just like everybody else."

Ms Eagle added: "Now I'm a humanist, I'm married to a Catholic and she does much work with LGBT religious organisations to try to put together coalitions across religions of moderate, decent, sensible religious people who recognise the right of LGBT people to exist, to have access to respect and dignity and to have their rights in law."

Referring to relationship and sex education, she said: "It's not propaganising, it's not trying to turn people gay, which I've heard about. I'm not sure it's possible to turn people gay, but there certainly would be no gay people if you had to be taught about being gay.

"But their respect, their rights, their rights to have an equal welcome in school, not be bullied, not to be treated as if they are lesser, not to be made to feel that somehow there's something wrong with them, not to feel suicidal, not to be called 'faggot' or 'lezzer' in school, not be humiliated.

"All of this is what we're talking about when it comes to relationship and sex education, plain, simple decency."

Labour MP Stephen Pound (Ealing North) said demonstrations and protests outside schools have a lasting effect on children.

He said: "Even if we can set aside for one moment the substantive argument, would you not agree with me that it is simply impossible and unconscionable that we can subject primary school children to this sort of concentrated mob abuse? That cannot be allowed, surely?"

SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) said: "I went to a school in which being heterosexual was the only way you were allowed to be. Any other opportunity was not permitted."

He added: "If there is anything to be gained from this debate today, it is to reflect on the lived experience of young gay men and women entering your schools.

"Their parents may not like the fact that they will grow up to be gay. That is a reality. You can not detract from it whether they live hiding in a closet or they live openly as young, Christian gay people or young Muslim gay people, Hindu, or Jew, or secular."

He went on to say: "They are not enforcing gayness on folk. It is a ridiculous proposition.

Minister of state for school standards Nick Gibb said: "Dialogue is what moves us forward. That is why we are strengthening the requirements on schools to consult parents."

Mr Gibb said: "I think it would be appropriate for a school to work with parents to determine how and when teaching of the Equality Act is delivered in the school if that works for them.

"This does not mean that head teachers should spend excessive time consulting parents, or that consultations should go on in perpetuity."

He added: "Consultation does not mean parents can veto curriculum content. It means sharing a proposed approach, seeking views, and using those to inform a final decision. It is not a vote. Consultation does not mean abandoning teaching about respect for difference."

Mr Gibb said "intimidating behaviour, bullying, and protests" outside primary schools are "unacceptable" and should stop.

He said schools must have "flexibility" and may decide teaching about LGBT people and relationships is needed in earlier years in certain circumstances, such as if there is homophobic, bi-phobic, or trans-phobic bullying in the school.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner tweeted: "There has been so many heartfelt &passionate speeches by Labour colleagues in the adjournment debate on Parental involvement in teaching in relation to the Equality Act 2010 brought by Roger Godsiff MP. Labour is totally committed to LGBT+ inclusive education in schools, end of.

"The Labour Party has long supported and campaigned for LGBT+ inclusive education in schools, and the achievement of cross party support for legislation this year was a significant step forward in the struggle for LGBT+ equality.

"There is not only a moral imperative to teach LGBT+ inclusive education, there is also a legal requirement under the Equality Act, which all schools must comply with. There is no justifiable reason to stop the teaching of these issues.

"To teach children about relationships and omit the fact that LGBT+ couples exist is fundamentally discriminatory. At a time when levels of homophobic and transphobic hate crime are rising in our society, it is more important than ever that we educate young people.

"Finally Roger Godsiff's apology in relation to some of his comments that may have offended people is welcome. However he can be left in no doubt after so many MPs spoke so strongly in favour of LGBT+ inclusive education, we will not be going back in time on this issue only forward."