Parents at a Church of England primary school in Blackburn have raised concerns after apparently finding out from Facebook that children were receiving LGBTQ teaching without parents being consulted.
Wensley Fold CofE Academy wrote on Facebook (in a now-deleted post) about its aim to achieve a Rainbow Flag Award, a national quality assurance framework focusing on LGBT inclusion and equality of gender identities. The school said all teaching would be ‘age appropriate’.
Many of the children at the school are Muslim. The local paper reported that parents wrote to the school and said: ‘We send our children to school for an education, not indoctrination.’
A statement from the Blackburn Diocese said: ‘The Diocese of Blackburn encourages church schools to follow the commandment of Jesus to “love your neighbour as yourself”. In doing so schools are encouraged to understand others and respect everyone for who they are.
‘Schools are responsible for any materials they use and should choose materials that promote understanding and respect for others.
‘Church schools will also share Christian beliefs on relationships and will be cognizant of the beliefs of pupils in the school balancing love for others with respect for religious freedom.’
