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The United Kingdom's Department of Education has backed a scheme dealing with issues related to homosexuality, which has been launched amidst much controversy. The No Outsiders Project , opposed by Christian groups, is being launched in 14 schools across the Northeast, the Southwest, London, and the Midlands. The project is backed by 14 schools, a local authority, teaching unions, and a government-funded organization.
The books are a part of a £600,000 (sterling) government-funded scheme that features titles such as Spacegirl Pukes, Asha's Mums, and King & King. The last is a fairytale about a prince who turns down three princesses before he falls in love with one of their brothers and goes on to marry him.
Spacegirl Pukes features a space girl about to set off on a mission but who falls ill. Her two mothers, mummy Loula and mummy Neenee, take her home and nurse her back to health. She then dons her spacesuit and jets off.
Tango Makes Three is about two male penguins, Roy and Silo, who feel left out when all the other penguins pair up in a New York zoo. Forced to spend time together, they fall in love and a zookeeper gives them an egg, which they incubate and from which Tango hatches, becoming the first penguin with two daddies.
Book giant Waterstone will stock the books within its UK-wide chain of outlets if the current pilot scheme is successful.
Normalizing Homosexuality
Christian Voice director Stephen Green was particularly scathing in his views towards the scheme. "The arrogance of people like Elizabeth Atkinson, using children as guinea pigs, is outrageous and thoroughly wicked," he told Christian Today.
"The more you normalize homosexuality, and the more kids see images of homosexual relationships from schoolbooks and authority figures, the more kids think any crushes they have on children of the same sex — which is quite normal at 11 years old — are valid."
"The most important thing these books do is reflect reality for young children," said Elizabeth Atkinson, director of the No Outsiders Project by Sunderland and Exeter universities and London's Institute of Education. "My background is in children's literature and I know how powerful it is in shaping social values and emotional development. What books do not say is as important as what they do."
Atkinson argued that the absence of gay relationships in children's books amounted to "silencing a social message," thus fueling playground ignorance which in turn can lead to bullying and isolation for children who are gay or perceived to be.
Dr. Majid Katme, chair of the Islamic Medical Council, UK, said, "Parents and religious leaders of all denominations were shocked about the introduction of these books which will promote homosexuality to our young innocent and vulnerable children."
"We all know that any child in school is the outcome of two heterosexual parents (a man and a woman). It is confusing to educate otherwise and it is a type of child abuse! Christianity as well as Islam considers homosexuality as sinful. These small and young children, when taught to accept homosexuality as a way of life, will no doubt be influenced by this unnatural, abnormal way of immoral indoctrination and will be recruited to be victims of pedophiles."
"The aggressive homosexual lobby is going too far. They have succeeded before in removing Section 28 and now they are moving more to 'force' many of our young children to be attracted to homosexuals, even before puberty and before the emergence of normal and natural sexuality."
"All parents and religious leaders from all denominations should protest strongly against this forced indoctrination."
Tahir Alam, assistant deputy commissioner and Education Committee chair of the Muslim Council of Britain, expressed concern on behalf of the mainstream Muslim community: "This scheme is not consistent with the teachings and values of Islam; and from this point of view, many Muslim parents would be concerned."
Reverand Allan Green, chair of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum, felt that while he strongly agreed that there was widespread injustice regarding gender issues, he was not the best person to comment on the issue.
The Muslim Perspective
East London Muslims gave their opinions:
Halima — Care Worker
"Schools have a duty to promote equality, but this might be a step too controversial, especially as there seems to be very strong opposition. If I were a parent at these schools, I'd probably prefer my children not to read these books. It's called freedom of choice."
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Husnara — Homemaker
"Punters will say that maybe we should have a book promoting pedophilia as well. I mean we can't be far off, can we?"
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Mohammad Sufi Miah — School Governor
"Everybody needs to be sensible over this. Rudeness and hostility never achieve anything. I would advise concerned parents to discuss the matter with the head teacher of the school and the governing body."
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Sheikh Noor — Community Activist
"I agree that parents should resolve issues through discussion. I wonder if the governing body were consulted regarding this issue. How come there are no sound bites from any members of the governing body of these schools? It would be of public interest to be aware of their opinions."
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Shafi Ahmed — Businessman
"I'm just glad it's not a Muslim bashing issue. Christians and Jews also have religious issues surrounding these gay school books. I wonder if religious groups are going to come together over this."
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Kazi Shafiq — Student
"I read a newspaper report that parents stormed a head teacher's office to prevent an educational class trip to a mosque. Parent power won that day. Islamophobia is still the worse type of discrimination, and though the homosexual community have problems, it is nowhere near as bad as Islamophobia, which is readily becoming more and more accepted in society. With all due respect, I got my hands full with our own issues to really have much time for anyone else."
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Will this scheme be accepted and a part of the educational lives of our children? The coming period will reveal all!
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