Supporters of a new Free School in Cornwall have claimed the facility would not teach gay “nonsense”. After a meeting with a governor and the priest backing the new Catholic school in Turo, a campaigner for the scheme told the local press:

“The whole population is taught that homosexuality is fine and children should accept they can have two mums or dads but they should not be taught that nonsense. It is not right … the morals of this country should not be dragged down.”

Even the attempts by governors to reassure that the school would not discriminate may have exacerbated the controversy, with Joyce Sanderson, who attended the meeting, remarking:

“Gays would be welcome to this school but we would not encourage it.”

The Department for Education plans to spend £4.5 million on the school — despite 600 existing secondary school places in the local area.