Government backs Gay rights over parents’ rights

The Christian Institute today spoke out in the light of press reports that the Government are to repeal Section 28.

Last week the Institute published a report showing how £1 million of public money intended for social services, education and health care had been diverted into promoting gay rights. The Institute’s report showed clear evidence that local authorities and health authorities are appointing homosexual schools workers and youth workers to target children who are “unsure of their sexuality”.

Colin Hart, Director of the Institute said today:

“Some 70% of men believe that homosexual practice is wrong (1). The Christian faith and all the major world faiths also hold that homosexual practice is wrong.

Over the past 11 years Section 28 has made a massively positive impact. The repeal of Section 28 will mean that homosexuality will once again be promoted in schools at public expense. Because they believe the law will change local Councils have already started appointing homosexual schools workers.

Everyone knows that children, particularly boys, can go through a phase of being attracted to the same sex. The promotion of homosexuality in schools manipulates these vulnerable children.”

Parents’ rights set aside for gay rights

“The Government’s own General Household Survey found that only 0.1% of households are headed by a homosexual couple. Another UK study found that only 0.3% of men are exclusively homosexual. Yet gay rights groups have convinced the Government to reduce the age of homosexual consent to 16 and to do much else besides.

The rights of parents are being set aside for gay rights. There will be no right for parents to have their children withdrawn from gay lessons. This is a clear breach of Article 2 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights which upholds the right of parents to have their children educated according to their convictions. If Section 28 is repealed we will be encouraging parents to launch legal actions against the Government in order to protect their children from lessons which promote homosexuality.

Sadly there will also be no right for teachers who refuse to promote homosexuality on the grounds of conscience. All this is a legal minefield for the Government.”

ENDS.

Note for Editors: The Christian Institute is a Christian policy research organisation which seeks to influence public policy from the perspective of historic Christian teaching.

(1)Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, Johnson A et al, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1994, page 475. This is the largest academic study of its kind ever carried out in the UK.