Guardian report of school parents meeting "false and misleading" says SPUC Safe at School

SPUC Safe at School has accused The Guardian newspaper of publishing a false and misleading report about a meeting of parents and staff at Welford Primary school in Birmingham ("Police called after reports of disorder at ‘Trojan horse’ school in Birmingham", Guardian, 4 October 2014).

Safe at School told the media today:

"The Guardian's report exagerrated events and linked them to the 'Trojan Horse' fears, but Safe at School has eyewitness evidence that the meeting was attended by parents from a range of religious and ethnic backgrounds - including Christians and Muslims.

The key concern for parents was to protect their primary-aged children from premature sexualisation, a concern that was highlighted in the 2011 Bailey report.* That report, published by the government, found that parents were 'particularly unhappy with the increasingly sexualised culture surrounding their children, which they feel they have no control over.'

Safe at School believes that parents should be encouraged to make their voices heard, as Sir Reg Bailey argued, and this applies especially in schools.* Schools must allow children to be children. They should connect with parents and should be family-friendly places.

These are British values, and have nothing to do with 'radicalisation'."

* The Bailey report is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bailey-review-of-the-commercialisation-and-sexualisation-of-childhood-final-report-published

Sir Reg Bailey is quoted on that page: "Society has become increasingly full of sexualised imagery. This has created a wallpaper to children’s lives. Parents feel there is no escape and no clear space where children can be children. I want to put the power back in parents’ hands so they can better manage the pressures on their children and make it easier for them to bring up their children the way they want. Parents need encouragement to feel they can change things and that their voices will be heard. Regulators, businesses and broadcasters should do more to connect with parents - it’s not enough for them to work out what is acceptable from what people complain about afterwards. I hope that they see that it’s good business if you look out for families. Then we can all help to make Britain a more family friendly place."

Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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