School trust’s sex education policy ‘from the Dark Ages’

A intercourse schooling coverage which appeared on an academy belief’s web site has been criticised as “explicitly homophobic”.

A bisexual trainer, who noticed the coverage on the East Midlands Academy Belief’s web site when contemplating making use of for a job, mentioned it was from the “Darkish Ages”.

The Belief mentioned the part, which mentioned it “won’t allow the promotion of homosexuality or bisexuality,” was outdated.

It was faraway from its web site after it was queried by the Native Democracy Reporting Service.

The belief’s relationships and intercourse schooling coverage, present in part 11 and headed “homosexuality”, mentioned that belief recognised the “want to supply schooling associated to the unfold of HIV/AIDS which is able to, of necessity, embody reference to homosexuals and bisexuals”.

At 11.2 it added that “the belief won’t allow the promotion of homosexuality or bisexuality.”

The trainer, who didn’t wish to be named, mentioned it was a throwback to Part 28 laws, which banned colleges within the late 1980s via to the early 2000s from “selling” homosexuality.

It was extensively condemned and repealed in 2003. In 2009, then Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for the coverage.

To make use of comparable language now was “at worst deliberate, and at finest deeply ignorant”, mentioned the trainer, who described it as like one thing from the “Darkish Ages”.

“It’s explicitly homophobic and it’s troublesome to learn it another means. I used to be contemplating making use of for a job till I noticed the coverage which made it clear that this was not a faculty for me. I simply really feel like Part 28 shouldn’t be lifeless. It’s alive and effectively in Northamptonshire.”

The Belief, which runs Prince William Faculty in Oundle and the Northampton Worldwide Academy, mentioned the coverage was “outdated” and had been developed below steerage from 2000.

It mentioned its intercourse schooling in colleges was “absolutely inclusive” and a spokesman added: “Forward of the forthcoming change in steerage, a brand new coverage is because of be offered to our board at its subsequent assembly in April.”

A Division for Schooling spokesman mentioned all secondary colleges will need to have regard to the brand new Relationships Schooling, Relationships and Intercourse Schooling and Well being Schooling statutory steerage from September.

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