On 27 March the House of Commons voted to pass new regulations regarding Relationships, Sex and Health education. If the proposed regulations are passed by the House of Lords, statutory guidance will be produced and published, and schools will be expected to adhere to the guidance and ensure their curriculum is LGBT inclusive.
Although MP’s have voted in favour of the regulations, hundreds of parents have expressed their concern, with some parents protesting. As a result, various schools in Birmingham have suspended LGBT inclusive lessons, due to the religious beliefs of parents which they feel do not align with the proposed regulations.
The Department for Education’s draft guidance, highlighted that it would be permissible for schools with a religious character to deliver the curriculum with a “distinctive faith perspective on relationships" and allow for debate in relation to matters that are seen as controversial in respect to the school’s faith.
Other issues and concerns for parents surround the appropriateness of the material that children are to be taught, even though it is expected that the curriculum will be adapted to accommodate pupil’s age, as well as the right of parents to educate their children regarding matters related to sex and relationships.