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The MP for the city primary school facing daily protests over gay equality teaching has said four and five year olds are too young to learn about LGBT.

Roger Godsiff is Labour MP for Birmingham Hall Green, which includes Anderton Park Primary School in Sparkhill.

The school has been at the centre of a national storm over LGBT teachings, with crowds of parents staging daily demonstrations outside the gates.

Now Mr Godsiff has said he has "concerns" about the appropriateness of teaching children aged four and five about the existence and equality of same sex families.

He also questioned whether it was a good thing to introduce books like The Princess Boy to little children and that he "understood" why people had issues with "this type of material."

He said more 'sensitive' consultation was needed because some local families had difficulty accepting equality legislation because of their religious beliefs.

And he urged head teacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson and the city council to 'seek an injunction' if the protesters were breaking the law.

(Image: Birmingham Mail/Darren Quinton)

He also suggested councils and parliament might be better placed to decide when different aspects of the equality legislation should be introduced at schools, thus taking the burden off heads.

His comments are at odds with fellow Birmingham Labour MP Jess Phillips (Yardley). She turned up at the school yesterday to offer her staunch support to Ms Hewitt-Clarkson, who has been the focus of vocal protests and has received malicious mail in connection with her stance.

Ms Phillips had said the protesters “do not represent Birmingham" and could not "pick and choose" which equality they could and could not have.

(Image: Honor Bridgman)

The worst thing about the protests was damage "to the reputation of a peaceful" community, she said, and called for an exclusion area "to protect the 700 children in this school".

Mr Godsiff said he visited the school and spoke to Ms Hewitt-Clarkson when protests first started, but has not visited for some weeks and has not witnessed the protests in person - choosing instead to 'gather the facts' from the head and protesters, including protest leader Shakeel Afsar.

(Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)

The MP said: "I support the head teacher, absolutely, I support all teachers and public sector workers.

"I am clear that parents do not have a right to veto what is taught in schools on equality. I have voted in favour of all the legislation on relationships and equality.

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"But I think we must all do nothing else to exacerbate tensions. Calm needs to prevail."

He added: "I have talked to the head teacher and heard her set of events and about what is taught, books used and so on.

"I also arranged for my personal assistant to talk to the leader of the protesters and I asked him for evidence to substantiate their claims about material taught to children as young as four or five that's alarmed them.

"Having looked at what has been presented to me and hearing what the head teacher said, I was concerned about some of the things that came out (of those discussions).

"I have seen the cover of some of the books, the Princess Boy, and My Chacha is Gay, and others. I understand why parents have concerns."

(Image: Birmingham Mail/Darren Quinton)

Mr Godsiff said he was also "surprised" that the head had not told him that she had invited a prominent gay Muslim man into the school and has since seen images of them together on social media.

"During the course of our conversation I raised the issue of there being people within the Muslim community who have different lifestyles, who are gay and lesbian, and referred to a number of local LGBT people who had been interviewed in the Guardian.

"The head teacher said she had seen the article.

"So I was surprised that she did not mention that she had in fact invited in one of them into school.

"I think she should have said I have invited them into school. I was a bit surprised she did not mention that."

"I have concerns about the age appropriateness of children of four and five being introduced to these ideas."

His conclusion from discussions with the head and protesters?

"I have concerns about the age appropriateness of children of four and five being introduced to these ideas," said Mr Godsifff.

"As a parent wrote, some are just out of nappies. I think it is more appropriate at age seven, or six."

The MP said he did not think equality discussions about old age, or people with disabilities, posed similar issues - "young children know and see this around them. They do not know much about their own sexuality, never mind others."

(Image: BIRMINGHAM MAIL)

"I would question the age appropriateness of making children as young as four aware of this (LGBT)."

He added: "Of course if a child asks the teacher questions about someone with two mummies it's right for the teacher to respond, I would not want them to lie.

"If the child raises it they are being inquisitive, that's fine but I do question the appropriateness of the teaching of it (LGBT)."

In England, relationships education will be compulsory for all primary pupils from September 2020.

Said Mr Godsiff: "The guidelines say school pupils should be acquainted with these ideas at age appropriate times. They have to leave primary school knowing about this.

"In a letter I saw (in the dossier from protestors) one of the parents said 'I have no problem with my child being introduced to different lifestyles at the right age.'

"I think it is more appropriate at age six or seven, and too introduce other aspects of equality legislation at appropriate times too.

"I have supported the equality legislation and voted for equality legislation and the new guidelines for relationship education.

"But the minister (Education Secretary Damian Hinds) has said time and again, including when speaking to the House of Commons, he's referred to age appropriate.

"To quote his words, when children leave to go to secondary school they should have a knowledge of the different lifestyles and LGBT."

He added: "I am supportive of the LGBT community. I have consistently voted for all laws pertaining to equality and to defend the rights of everyone to live the lifestyle they choose."

Consultation is the key

Mr Godsiff suggested that more consultation should be carried out to reassure parents.

"I would be totally opposed to parents having a right of veto, so I'm on the side of the school," he said.

"But when you consider you are talking about a very sensitive subject I would question whether the amount of consultation should have been much more.

"It is not about having a veto over aspects of the equalities legislation but about talking to children, age appropriately, in all aspects.

He added: "When such a sensitive issue is in a community where there may be some people who find it difficult to embrace the legislation giving equality to people of different genders (sic) they may find it difficult on the grounds of religious beliefs, so it's more incumbent (to discuss) when to introduce that."

He said he "100% backed" current attempts at independent mediation, led by human rights lawyer Nazir Afzal, who had stepped in for free to try to broker a way forward.

"It is a highly sensitive issue in an area where the school is based. One has to practise sensitivity in approach and consultation," he said.

"An injunction should be used if protests are unlawful"

Mr Godsiff said teachers who felt threatened by the protests taking place outside the school should take appropriate action with the police.

"If they are being intimidating or spreading hate they are breaking the law.

"The head teacher feels one of the reasons the school has been picked out is going back to the Trojan Horse inquiry. If there are extreme motives at work by some of the people then that is wrong.

"How are you going to stop them protesting? The way is to take out an injunction."

(Image: Tracy A)

I asked Mr Godsiff about the recent attack on LGBT supporters who turned up to decorate the school with messages of love and support, only to be confronted by a group who threw eggs at them and shouted abuse.

"I think while there is such an excitable element that exists, then a period of calm would be a good idea," he said.

"Anything that exacerbates tensions is not to be welcomed. Calm needs to prevail and those leading mediation allowed to do their work.

"Taking sides achieves nothing.

"I am on the side of the teachers - it is difficult enough for them to balance budgets and keep on top of everything else involved in running a school without worrying about this.

"But I also understand the parents. Most of the parents are not headbangers - they are reasonable people who just want to have their children educated in a tolerant society and feel comfortable.

"We cannot turn the clock back now but if more consultation had happened with groups of parents early on it could have been better."

(Image: Tracy A)

Roger Godsiff's voting record on LGBT equality

*He voted against allowing same sex couples to marry in 2013 - he says because he felt it would create a further inequality by giving gay couples 'two partnership options' while straight couples only had one.

*He voted in favour of civil partnerships in 2004.

*He also voted to repeal a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools back in 2003.

*He voted to reduce the age of content for homosexual acts from 18 to 16 in 1998.

If you want a reminder of how the story started and developed, check out our detailed timeline below: