Anger over gay friendly nurseries

Parents in Scotland are outraged that they were asked to complete a survey in order to make their children's nursery classes' gay-friendly.

The survey, provided by the Platform centre, asked parents to answer questions regarding their relationship and sexuality in order to provide a class environment that is gay-friendly.

"What has this got to do with teaching nursery school children … I don't see what difference it makes whether my husband and I are gay or straight. It's not really any of their business," one mother told the Daily Express.

The Platform centre is a charity run in part by the Glasgow City Council, with funding provided by both taxpayers and lottery grants, which aims to provide for "gay-friendly events" where they feel there should be.

The centre's Playtime Project is funded by the National Health Service and includes a 15-week programme of workshops and performances tailored for youngsters at nurseries in Glasgow's East End.

The five-page questionnaire given to parents asks them to describe their sexual orientation, religious affiliation and any disabilities they may have to go along with their name and address.

"We are trying to take a measure very objectively of the equalities make-up of the area … A lot of our funders want to know how what we do touches different people," Jackie Shearer, Platform manager said in a statement.

"We want to provide gay-friendly events where needed but it's not related to this current activity … there is always the option for people to tick a 'prefer not to answer' box," she added.

But some see this parental survey as an invasion of privacy that has no legitimate purpose for the community and is only intended for a narrow group of people and a certain agenda.

"It's totally wrong for the public to be maneuvered into handing over sensitive personal information for some spurious box-ticking exercise," Nick Pickles of privacy group Big Brother Watch told the Daily Express.

"It is unacceptable for private companies to be working on public contracts which require them to track in detail the people who are using their services," he added.

News
The first Christmas song to be sung in churches
The first Christmas song to be sung in churches

Every Christmas, people sing the song “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night”. Unlike many other songs and carols that include elements of non-biblical tradition and myth, this song is pure Scripture. It was the first Christmas song authorised to be sung in the Church of England. This is the story …

The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914
The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914

On Christmas Eve in 1914, many men were in the trenches fighting the war, but the spirit of Christmas halted the conflict for a brief period. This is the story …

Report highlights injustices experienced by Christians in the Holy Land
Report highlights injustices experienced by Christians in the Holy Land

Jerusalem Church leaders have released a report detailing the struggles and challenges currently faced be Christians living in the Holy Land.

Have you lost the wonder of Christmas?
Have you lost the wonder of Christmas?

For you who have been followers of Jesus Christ for a long time, maybe the pain and suffering of this world and the darkness you have had to live through this past year has gotten you down to the point of complete and utter discouragement. But all is not lost.