Parents face council action over pro-gay school week

The local council in Leytonstone, east London, is taking action against parents who took their children out of school during a week promoting homosexuality.

Pervez Latif, 41, and his wife Shaheen, 38, decided to take their two boys, aged nine and ten, out of George Tomlinson School during its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Week which aimed to celebrate "the lives and achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in the community".

Latif said, “We as parents did not receive any guidance that this was going to happen … There was just a newsletter mentioning the week and that certain themes would be taught,” reports the Daily Mail.

“I didn’t want my children learning about this. I wrote a letter to the chairman of the governors explaining that I would be taking my children out of school and he wrote back saying there was no other option.

“If I am faced with court action, then I will just explain that these are my views. It was also very difficult explaining to my nine and ten-year-old boys why they were being removed from school.

“I found it difficult to explain topics such as homosexual relationships at such a young age.”

He added that he knew of 30 other children whose parents had taken them out of school for the duration of the LGBT week.

Waltham Forest Council would not confirm how many students had left school, but suggested that the parents would face the same action as those who allow their children to play truant.

A spokesman for the council said, "As part of the borough's policy of promoting tolerance in our schools, children are taught that everyone in our society is of equal value.

"At George Tomlinson, parents were invited to meet with teachers and governors several weeks ago to discuss what work would be taking place throughout the national LGBT History Month, and how this work would be delivered.

"Regrettably, some parents chose to remove their children from school.

"The council does not condone any unauthorised absence from school and action has been taken."