Gay teacher who writes books challenging homophobia has resigned after parents complained they did not want him to teach their children
Dispute at Chilwell Croft Academy mainly involved Muslim parents
Andrew Moffat resigned from the Birmingham primary school in December
He said some Christian parents also complained about him
Challenging Homophobia in Primary Schools has been used in lessons http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2598231/Gay-teacher-writes-books-challenging-homophobia-resigned-parents-complained-did-not-want-teach-children.html#ixzz2yIAxTShP
A gay assistant head teacher has been forced to resign after Muslim parents complained that they did not want their children learning that it’s OK to be homosexual.
The dispute at Birmingham’s Chilwell Croft Academy, which mainly involved Muslim parents, is the latest controversy surrounding a secular state school in the city.
Andrew Moffat, who resigned from the primary school in December and will leave his post this month, said some Christian parents had also complained.
But fellow teachers are concerned that the respected teacher may have been the victim of an alleged plot by Muslim extremists to force non-Muslim teachers out and replace them with hardliners.
Last month a letter was circulated referring to a ‘Trojan Horse’ plot for Muslim extremists to take over the running of schools in Birmingham.
The authenticity of the letter is unclear but its very existence led to a flood of allegations from parents and staff at several schools .
At least 12 schools are under now investigation by the Department for Education (DfE) following allegations that strict Islamic practices have been introduced there.
Mr Moffat has written several articles and books on homophobia in schools, in which he makes recommendations of how to teach children how to be tolerant.
One book, entitled Challenging Homophobia in Primary Schools, has been used in literacy lessons for 10 and 11-year-olds, including those at Chilwell Croft.
One suggested lesson plan describes a picnic at which gay families are guests. Pupils are encouraged to treat all the picnic guests equally.
Mr Moffat, who worked at the school for five years, also trained teachers on how to prevent homophobic bullying.
‘In my work I have met with some challenging views from different sections of the community,’ he said.
‘Some Christian and some Muslim parents have told me they don’t want their children learning that it’s OK to be gay.
‘I did come out at school in an assembly after a group of 11-year-olds held up a poster they made, with the heading “Gay is good”. It seemed like the right time to let the children know that they knew a gay person.
‘Following my coming out, some parents from different communities complained to the school, but I maintain that my decision was the right one at that time.’
The Department of Health's publication called Stand up for us: Challenging homophobia in schools
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The Department of Health's publication called Stand up for us: Challenging homophobia in schools
Mr Moffat has now accepted another teaching position outside Birmingham.
Liam Nolan, the high- profile gay head teacher at Perry Beeches Academy in Birmingham, told the Sunday Times he had been ‘incredibly shocked that an assistant head teacher who was doing incredible work around relationship education had been intimidated by a small group of what are being seen as extremists in the city’.
He added: ‘The Muslim community is being allowed to influence government legislation around equality.’
But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said schools had a duty to tell parents before introducing literature that some might object to on religious grounds.
‘If parents are coming from a particular religious group, whether it is Islamic or Christian, and they have a concern at what they might consider the promotion of homosexuality, the school’s position should be made clear to them.
‘We are certainly not trying to silence people who want to discuss questions of sexuality but with young children this is quite complicated territory,’ he said.
Schools under investigation by the DfE in Birmingham include Park View Academy, where senior teachers have been accused of praising senior Al-Qaeda figure Anwar al-Awlaki during assemblies.
The school also faces allegations of nepotism and misuse of public funds to pay for loudspeakers to call pupils to prayer.
Chilwell Croft and Mr Moffat said they did not believe that the school’s ‘recent discussions with parents . . . are in any way connected with the Trojan Horse investigation’.
In a statement, the school added: ‘A minority group of parents . . . objected to some of the resource books being used in literacy lessons with some of the oldest children in the school, which explored relationships in different families.
‘The . . . objections were primarily voiced by those whose own religion took an opposing stance to homosexuality.’
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