|
Sick.....
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 10:01
PM
Subject: [Sndbox] They are after the
children...
Primary pupils to get lesbian doll
lessons
JASON CUMMING
CONTROVERSIAL dolls are set to be used to teach Capital primary
schoolchildren about same-sex relationships.
But the Lottery-funded
project was today branded inappropriate by church leaders and drew criticism
from opposition councillors for focusing on the differences between people.
The Lesbian Mothers Scotland group has set up the scheme after being
given a �4819 You and Your Community Award from the Millennium Commission to
create so-called Persona Dolls which will be used at the city�s Leith Walk
Primary school.
Backers claim that the dolls offer opportunities to
discuss issues including racism, gender, disability, health, culture,
religious and other equality issues.
The dolls typically "visit" for
informal story-telling sessions and backers say the scheme helps children to
"unlearn discriminatory attitudes and behaviour".
But Tory education
spokesman Kate MacKenzie today branded the scheme "divisive"
She said:
"A lesbian woman or gay man looks exactly the same as a heterosexual. I feel
the only way we�re going to get an inclusive society is if we treat people as
individuals regardless of whether they�re black, disabled, homosexual or
lesbian."
"By drawing people�s attention to it, you�re saying, �these
people are different.� But we�re all minorities in our own way."
Lib
Dem education spokesman Jim Lowrie said he was "surprised" there hadn�t been
consultation with parents over the dolls.
He added: "I think it
probably has a place in schools but I think it should be more for older
children in P6 or P7."
Persona Dolls have previously been used other
local authorities including Leicester City Council - which claims the dolls
are effective at "challenging the values, stereotypes and prejudices that
underpin racism and other social inequalities."
Peter Kearney,
spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, raised serious concerns about
the "very disturbing" project.
He said: "This is precisely the sort of
pro-homosexual brain-washing that Section 28 would have prevented. It seems to
confirm all the fears we had about young children being exposed to
inappropriate material if Section 28 was repealed."
Ann Allen, of
Family and Youth Concern, added: "It is a great pity money is being spent on
this kind of project, which is all about bringing sex into the classroom and
corrupting young children�s minds.
A senior council source defended
the dolls as a "well-respected educational tool.
"There is absolutely
no intention to use them to teach children about lesbian sex at all."
An Edinburgh City Council spokesman defended the scheme.
She
said: "Persona Dolls are used in primary schools for equality education. They
are not used for sex education or to promote gay relationships. Many schools
across the UK are using Persona Dolls which are designed to focus on different
cultures. The dolls recognise the range of issues facing children today. We
recently had a training day for teachers which was organised by the Centre for
Race Equality in Scotland. The final decision on whether they�re appropriate
to use will be taken by headteacher and staff."
A spokesman for the
Scottish Executive added: "It is up to headteachers to decide whether or not
they think this kind of scheme is appropriate."
Three years ago ,
campaigners attacked a sex guide for seven-year-olds that was made available
to schools in Edinburgh. The Primary School Workbook, produced by the Family
Planning Association, encourages youngsters to talk about masturbation.
The explicit guide, which instructs teachers to encourage children to
use crude slang when talking about sexual matters, is being aimed at seven to
11 -year-olds.
________________________________
Changes to your subscription
(unsubs, nomail, digest) can be made by going to
http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
|
________________________________
Changes to your subscription (unsubs, nomail, digest) can be made by going to
http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
