Uphold the right of parents to have children educated in line with their religious beliefs

This petition was closed on 29th October 2020 with 20,119 signatures.

https://www.citizengo.org/en/node/166296

The attempted push by LGBT activists to make teaching about alternative lifestyles and sexualities compulsory for all children from the age of 4 is a declaration of war against Christianity. It suppresses freedom of belief as enshrined in the Bible, and denies the right to free speech. Worse, it is a form of indoctrination of young minds, who have no experience or understanding of the possible outcomes of different behaviours and who, by definition, lack the emotional and intellectual maturity to judge such issues for themselves.

LGBT activists argue that failure to teach the new morality will mean children are not prepared for modern life and will grow up intolerant (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/private-primaries-allowed-to-drop-lessons-on-being-gay-bpgvst0mt ). The practical effect of this pernicious policy is to silence faith groups, saying they are not allowed to voice their beliefs in public, and that parents are not allowed to transmit those beliefs to their children, on the grounds that it is religious indoctrination.

This malign reframing of education is a species of ideological totalitarianism, determinedly suppressing any and all views that cast doubt on the ‘new’ morality.

We respectfully remind the Minister of State for Education and his department that, under the Equality Act 2010, religion is listed alongside such things as age, disability, gender reassignment, race and sex, as a protected characteristic. Discrimination against all these groups, in whatever setting, is therefore unlawful. Whatever pressure they may exert, LGBT groups do not have hierarchical priority over other groups (www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/equality-act/protected-characteristics ).

We further point out that the twin freedoms of belief and of speech are enshrined respectively in Articles 9 and 10 the European Convention of Human Rights, to which the UK is a signatory (www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf ). Article 2 of this same Convention further states, ‘In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.’

It is morally and legally unacceptable that from the age of four our children are being indoctrinated into beliefs that run counter to our faith. It is unacceptable that the right of parents to have their children educated in line with their religious or philosophical beliefs is being denied.

We therefore call on Government to drop immediately the proposed plans to make Relationships and Sex Education mandatory in both the State and private sectors, and instead to divert already hard pressed resources into providing and building an educational system that will best serve our children and of which we can all be proud.

Sign petition here: https://www.citizengo.org/en/node/166296