Parents hold protest against LGBT lessons in Telford
A group of parents held a protest in Telford today against schools teaching sex education and LGBT issues in the borough's schools.
About 12 people turned out for the peaceful protest on Whitchurch Road, Wellington, which followed demonstrations against similar issues in Birmingham.
The group said this was the first of a number of protests against relationship and sexual education lessons, which will resume in the new school year in September.
Ray Afsar, who lives in Wellington and helped to organise the protest, said: "This is just a small thing for bigger things to come.
"We wanted to get this miniature protest in just to make people aware that we have understood the relationship and sexual education and we feel our children are too young to understand about same sex relationships.
"We live in a diverse town – we have nothing against the LGBT community.
Generations
"If there's anything children need to know, they can either ask the mother or ask the father. That's what has been going on for generations and generations."
Mr Afsar said the group would not be protesting in the same way as those in Birmingham, and would be avoiding protesting at times when children are entering or leaving school.
In Birmingham, campaigners held banners outside Parkfield Community School saying “Don’t confuse our children” and “Let kids be kids” after books featuring same-sex couples were used in a diversity programme.
But critics said they were acting like a mob and intimidating people.
Those supporting the lessons said that pupils were taught about diversity, tolerance and acceptance around not only LGBT rights and gender identity, but also about race, religion and colour.
