Gay themes introduced in British schools

Cox News Service reports:

In British schools, young children are learning that the prince doesn't always fall in love with a princess. And not every family includes Mama Bear and Papa Bear.

A new pilot project is using picture books, the arts, drama and other techniques to introduce gay themes to schoolchildren aged of 4 to 11.

In one picture book, "King & King," a prince fails to fall in love with three different princesses before finally falling in love with a man.

In another, "And Tango Makes Three," a zookeeper realizes that two male penguins are in love. He gives them an egg; the hatchling, Tango, grows up with two fathers.

The project, called No Outsiders, is needed to combat the "absolutely massive" problem of bias against homosexuals among British schoolchildren, said Elizabeth Atkinson, the director.

"There are more homophobic incidents in our schools than racist incidents," she said.

This bias ranges, she said, from the casual and common use of the word "gay" as an insult to serious bullying of children with two parents of the same gender. Such bullying can do children serious harm, she said, prompting them to withdraw and causing their academic performance to decline.

But the project has had the effect of uniting conservative Christians and Muslims in opposition.

Time to separate school from state?