The Gay Teacher Transforming a Muslim School
<It took one complaint from a parent as a Christian to undo all Andrew Moffats work teaching children respect for people of different sexual orientation. A meeting of 40 parents followed with calls for an apology and the removal of books he had used in lessons.
Above all, the parents objected that he had told children he was gay. Moffat felt he could no longer continue and resigned. Far from retreating to a safe haven, however, he crossed Birmingham to take up an even greater challenge: assistant headteacher at Parkfield Community school, where 98.9% of pupils are from Muslim families.
Last week parents, collecting their children before taking them to madrasas, the religious classes, spoke of their support. The school is shedding light on the minds of children, said one mother. Parents initial response had been How dare they? How can the government make this law? But their anger had abated once they learned more about the approach, they said.
If they dont learn about gay, lesbian and transgender people in society from school they will learn it from the outside world and they could hear things like thats disgusting. I dont want that, said another. I agree, said a third. Id rather my children hear it at school. When they are at home we teach them that in our culture gay is not allowed but we respect people who are different from us and hope they too will respect us and the boundaries of our religion.
The parent of a 10-year-old admitted her views differed from her husbands: My husband is a strict Muslim and my son asked him about the difference between what the school says and our religion. He did not give him a good reply. My reply was that God has created us and he is the only one who can judge us. I have told my son that it wouldnt matter if he came home to me and said he was gay, you are my son and I will love you no matter what.>
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/feb/15/islam-gay-teacher-muslim-school-birmingham