Four more schools in Birmingham have stopped teaching pro-LGBT classes after receiving complaints by parents.
Leigh Trust said it was also suspending the pro-LGBT ‘No Outsiders’ curriculum until an agreement with parents was reached.
Birmingham’s Parkfield Community School suspended the lessons after parents held protests earlier this month.
In a letter seen by the BBC, Leigh Trust said it was stopping the lessons until after Ramadan in June.
The schools involved are Wyndcliff Primary School, Infants School, Marlborough Junior and Leigh Primary School.
Leigh Trust – which has not commented on the issue publicly – said it wanted to consult the scheme with parents to find “a positive way” of teaching about the Equalities Act.
Many parents at Parkfield, and the other four schools, say the classes are inappropriate for young children and the schools’ pro-LGBT message contradicts Islam.
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The No Outsiders initiative was founded and tested at Parkfield in 2014 by assistant head teacher Andrew Moffat.
The government watchdog Ofsted said the lessons were “age-appropriate”.
Amir Ahmed, who is one of the leaders of the Parkfield parents’ protests, said he had seen PowerPoint slides on the scheme that was to be presented to the government as part of the school’s Prevent strategy – which claims tackle “radicalisation”.
5Pillars have seen the No Outsiders presentation and countering radicalisation and extremism was integrated within the curriculum.
Mr Ahmed told the BBC: “I think that’s outrageous.
“It’s quite disgusting that the school has presented our children as potential radicals.”
A Parkfield Community School spokesperson said: “The PowerPoint was written four years ago in line with Prevent duty at that time.
“No Outsiders is all about tolerance, accepting difference and respect, which are all key aspects of community cohesion and our fundamental British values.”
Mr Ahmed said: “Fundamentally the issue we have with No Outsiders is that it is changing our children’s moral position on family values on sexuality and we are a traditional community.
“Morally we do not accept homosexuality as a valid sexual relationship to have. It’s not about being homophobic… that’s like saying, if you don’t believe in Islam, you’re Islamophobic.”
