Christian mother sues primary school over LGBT Pride event

(Photo: Pexels/Sharon McCutcheon)

A Christian mother is taking legal action against a London primary school after she says it failed to take her complaint against an LGBT Pride event seriously. 

Izzy Montague is one of several parents who complained after their children were allegedly forced to take part in a gay Pride event held at Heavers Farm Primary School in south-east London last June. 

She claims that she was treated dismissively and victimised after complaining about the nature of the event and the school's policy of not allowing parents to opt their children out. 

Mrs Montague has now launched a formal legal challenge against the school and Croydon Council alleging breach of her parental rights, victimisation and harassment by the school. 

A separate complaint lodged against the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds, asks him to "use his authority to remedy the pervasive nature of LGBT proselytism within Heavers Farm Primary School".

Mrs Montague said: "After I complained about my young child being forced to take place in an event that goes against our Christian beliefs, the school's attitude towards me changed completely. I know other parents who are afraid to speak up because of how the school has treated me.

"It was like being bullied. They stopped treating me like any other parent but were antagonistic towards me. I believe that they retaliated against me by unreasonably excluding me from the premises, victimising my child and not taking my safeguarding concerns seriously.

"I wasn't even trying to stop the Pride event. I just wanted my child to receive an education, rather than indoctrination."

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Mrs Montague's legal challenge said her case demonstrated the importance of protecting the 'opt out' rights of parents. 

"The dismissiveness shown to Izzy and many other parents when they raised concerns will only be multiplied if the government proceeds with plans to take away these freedoms," she said. 

Heavers Farm Primary School did not respond to a request for comment.