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Safe at School condemns government plans on alleged homophobic bullying
London, 29 October 2014: Safe at School has condemned plans to sink £2 million into dealing with alleged homophobic bullying in schools. (See "Government to fund campaign to stamp out anti-gay bullying in schools", Telegraph, 29 October 2014 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11193812/Government-to-fund-campaign-to-stamp-out-anti-gay-bullying-in-schools.html) Safe at School supports parents who object to inappropriate sex education. Antonia Tully of Safe at School said: "Tax-paying parents will soon become aware that their money is actually being spent on the promotion of homosexuality. This has certainly been the experience of parents at Welford Primary School in Birmingham, who are protesting against the introduction of a teaching programme named Challenging Homophobia in Primary Schools (CHIPS). CHIPS was introduced without any parental consultation and many parents in the school are worried sick about what their children are being taught." The CHIPS programme includes getting six and seven year-old children to design a dress for a "princess boy", getting little girls of six to role play lesbian mothers, and showing 10-11 year old children a news report about a transgender six year-old. See the related press releaseBirmingham parents call on Council to get CHIPS out of their school A review of CHIPS can be read online. The stress on homophobic bullying could result in other incidents of bullying being overlooked. In 2012 Ofsted brought out a report:  "No place for bullying" http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/no-place-for-bullying This report placed a great emphasis on homophobic bullying. Yet in Ofsted's sample of 1,060 pupils, children and teenagers spoke of being bullied for being too clever, having a learning disability, being too fat and wearing glasses, among other things. Ofsted could only find three primary school and five secondary school pupils seemingly bullied over sexuality. Mrs Tully concluded: "We're advising parents to insist that any advice given by the new government-funded advisers does not indoctrinate children or undermine parents." Safe at School is a campaign of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) https://www.spuc.org.uk/campaigns/safeatschool/ For further information, please contact SPUC's communications department: mobile 07939 177683 direct dial landline 020 7820 3129 email news@spuc.org.uk Twitter @spucprolife Alternatively, please call Antonia Tully of Safe at School on 07926 007175 or 020 8407 3463.