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Teachers have sparked a row after telling pupils that Disney's Beauty and the Beast promotes domestic violence.

Generations of children have grown up with the story of how a cursed man-beast is transformed into a handsome prince when an evil spell is broken by the love of a beautiful and gentle young girl.

But now a secondary school lesson plan teaches that loyal heroine Belle is in an abusive relationship with the Beast in which "her only asset is her sexuality".

A lesson plan now available in thousands of classrooms asserts: "The Beast does not attack Belle but the threat of physical violence is present.

"The movie says if a woman is pretty and sweet natured she can change an abusive man into a kind and gentle man.

"In other words, it is the woman's fault if her man abuses her. And of course, the beast turns into a handsome prince because ugly people cannot be happy."

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Belle is said to be just one of the Disney favourites portrayed as scheming women who boost macho ideas about female slavery by their willingness to do anything to get a man.

Others include The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin's Princess Jasmine, and Snow White - branded a domestic skivvy for the seven dwarves.

"She doesn't mind house work because she is sure a rich young man will soon come and take her away," kids are told.

"This is typical of Disney's movies. Young women are naturally happy home-makers. They wait - like Snow White in her coma ` until a man comes along to give them life."

The lesson plan called Racism/Sexism in Disney, targetted at 11 to 16-year-olds, was uploaded by an unknown teacher in England to the Times Educational Supplement for lessons such as RE and Citizenship.

It has been viewed more than 11,000 times and downloaded more than 600 times but may have been shared many times over again off site.

(Image: Disney)

Chris McGovern, Chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "These lesson plans represent an ignorant, insidious and covert attack on family values and on the ancient wisdom of fairy tales.

"They are part of a deliberate strategy to pull apart the ties that bind our society together.

"Fairytales, including the Disney versions, allow children to make sense of the world whilst alerting them to its dangers.

"Like much literature and art, they use stereotypical characters to demonstrate the battle between love and hatred, goodness and evil, honesty and deceit.

"By undermining and subverting that support and tradition these model lessons are cruel to children and they are, also, dangerous to their well-being and to their mental health.

"Many parents will be appalled at the way children are being brain-washed by the promotion of politically correct fanaticism in the classroom."

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A Disney spokesman said: "For more than 90 years, Disney's timeless stories and beloved characters, including Disney Princesses, have been universal, relatable and relevant for everyone.

"They are loved by millions of children and adults across gender because it is their inner qualities such as determination, kindness, loyalty, humour, courage and wit that shine through and define them.

"A Department for Educaion spokesman said: "Schools are best placed to decide what resources are most appropriate for their children, in consultation with parents.

"There are a range of resources available online but we trust teachers to decide on the best ones to use when developing lessons which are age-appropriate."