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A councillor has called for peace talks between protesting Muslim parents and a school 'promoting homosexuality' but stated: "The children are too young."

Labour councillor Mohammed Idrees - who represents Alum Rock - has told Parkfield Community School it must listen to concerns being raised.

On Friday, BirminghamLive reported how a group of angry parents protested against a curriculum supporting homosexuality, LGBT and equality in the classroom.

Assistant headteacher Andrew Moffat MBE continues to pilot what's known as No Outsiders - a programme run alongside sex and relationship education (SRE) lessons at Parkfield.

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

Storybooks being read by pupils in class include King & King and Mommy, Mama and Me - tales about same-sex relationships and marriages.

But Mr Moffat - who is openly gay - and the No Outsiders programme has come under fire from some Muslim parents who condemn such teachings, as homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam.

Teachings of equality and LGBT acceptance in society has resulted in some parents - including mum-of-three Fatima Shah - taking their children out until lessons are scrapped or drastically changed.

Parkfield Community School has, though, defended its programme, which they said had been fully explained to parents.

The school said: "No Outsiders allows us to raise awareness of these differences so that children are able to tolerate and accept differences in our society."

However, following upheaval outside of the school gates in Saltley this week, Coun Idrees is now calling for peace talks between parents and staff.

Speaking to BirminghamLive, the devout Muslim said: "We will have a meeting with the school. I think this is important.

"I know about the issue and, with it being a predominantly Muslim school, the sensitivities of the parents must be discussed.

"Parents feel very strongly about the policy which, I'm told, has been promoted quite aggressively.

"I cannot comment on what's being taught in the classroom but the school and teachers must be sensitive to Muslim parents and Islam.

"The school has to bare in mind it is a predominantly Muslim school.

"I've had a lot of e-mails and parents are not very happy. The school needs to be careful.

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

"Children, for me, are too young to be learning about this. It's not a good idea.

"When parents are refusing to take their child to school and, instead, protest outside of the school gates, then there's clearly a big issue."

Meanwhile, a former school governor of an Erdington primary school has hit out at protesting parents at Parkfield.

Mum-of-two Jen Leavesley spent a year in her role with the school in question, which introduced the No Outsiders programme in 2017.

Giving a detailed account of material taught to schoolchildren, she said: "Some of the books for the kids were stories about families, where there are two dads; or the child is disabled or lives with his or her gran and has no parents, or is fostered.

"All of the books used are age appropriate, from reception age up to Year 6.

"Governors examine the materials and we did a two-hour presentation on No Outsiders. Then, we considered whether it would be appropriate to roll it out across the school where the population is prone to bullying, homophobia, sexism and racism.

"It was then decided that we should roll it out. We had two open afternoons and parents were invited into school in groups to examine the materials to allay fears.

"The schoolchildren, staff and parents accepted it wholesale. There were no complaints.

(Image: Handout)

The 42-year-old, though, who is originally from America but now lives in Erdington, claims that parents at Parkfield Community School have perhaps "got the wrong end of the stick on what's being taught".

"No Outsiders has a much wider remit than just homophobia and LGBT," she said. "It's about disability and race as well.

"The books for the children were largely just stories, where the characters are children with different kinds of families.

"This is the world we live in, religion aside, and there are families where there are two dads, or the child lives with different colour adoptive parents, or the child is disabled, say autistic or in a wheelchair.

"This material helps encourage acceptance of everyone, not forcing LGBT on anyone.

"This is 2019 and cruelty to anyone for being different isn't on. It teaches the Equality Act 2010, which is about differences being accepted.

"It is interesting how Parkfield is where No Outsiders started."

When asked about the issue of homosexuality clashing with Islamic beliefs, Mrs Leavesley added: "It may well clash with Islam, and Christianity too.

"You can still talk to your children about your religious values and how these things are not the choices you'd make as a Muslim or a Christian or whatever.

(Image: Birmingham Mail / Darren Quinton)

"However, they are parts of other people's lives and we must accept them and treat them fairly and to be never be cruel.

"It's about accepting and being kind to people who are different, not changing the choices you make or your ethics.

"Parkfield should always listen to concerns. You never get anywhere forcing things on people.

"Teachers should work to allay these fears by promoting an understanding of why this kind of material would be used in a primary school - and it's not to convert anyone to being gay, it's to promote acceptance of everyone's differences.

Leaflet handed out to parents outside Parkfield School Brothers and sisters, is it OK for your children to be gay? Are you aware of the resource being used in literacy lessons promoting homosexuality? Did you know Mr Moffat left his last role because parents believed he had no right coming out to children? They wanted all the lessons containing LGBT to be removed from curriculum. Did you know that our children are now being taught the very same thing? Have you asked what your children are being taught? What they are reading? Please join us in our petition to have the No Outsider removed from the curriculum. Please help us make a difference to what children are being taught. Source: Mariam Ahmed

"Primary school age is never too young to learn to accept others.

"Disability affects all ages, different kinds of families happen at all ages.

"And if the school population is being troubled by racist or extremist incidents, this kind of material is perfect to promote acceptance among kids and the hope is that acceptance would filter up to the parents, too.

"Creating a them-versus-us is a dangerous mindset, whatever the 'us' is."

Outraged mum Fatima Shah has taken her 10-year-old daughter out of the school over the row. She previously said: "It's inappropriate, totally wrong.

"Children are being told it's OK to be gay yet 98 per cent of children at this school are Muslim. It's a Muslim community."

But the school defended the teaching, which it said had been fully explained to parents.

A statement said: "Central to everything we do is our duty to safeguard all children.

"As part of our safeguarding duty, we have to ensure we safeguard and protect them from all possible forms of harm including homophobic or transgender bullying.

"No Outsiders allows us to raise awareness of these differences so that children are able to tolerate and accept differences in our society."