Protests outside a Birmingham school were banned after a High Court judge ruled in favour of an exclusion zone to remain around Anderton Park. The demonstrations, against alleged inappropriate sex education, had been conducted by Muslims.
Twenty-one staff members had been treated for stress, and the children were often unable to use the playground due to the protests, which were led by Shakeel Afsar, an uncle of a child at the school.
No outsiders?
The school used a teaching programme called ‘No Outsiders’ created by Andrew Moffat, the school’s assistant headteacher. It was based on books, some of which had a subtext of gender identity or gay relationships (And Tango Makes Three, Julian is a Mermaid). Another element of the programme looked at the concept of inclusion and being valued despite apparent differences.