Andrew Moffatt, teacher behind ‘No Outsiders’ programme, has a stern message for Tory government at PinkNews Awards
Andrew Moffatt, the Birmingham schoolteacher and creator of the LGBT-inclusive No Outsiders programme, is the winner of the Role Model award at the 2019 PinkNews Awards.
Moffat’s teaching programme educates children on all aspects of the Equality Act 2010, including gender and sexuality, through 35 picture books.
It was introduced at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where it sparked months of protests from parents and religious groups.
The assistant headteacher remained defiant in the face of ongoing demonstrations, which an official probe found were stoked by Muslim extremists for the purpose of dividing the community.
“It’s very hurtful,” Moffat said previously. “I think the worst part for me was when adults who weren’t actually parents were getting children to chant, ‘Get Mr Moffat out.’ Now that was awful.”
Andrew Moffat persisted, and the government has since ruled that LGBT-inclusive education will be compulsory in all UK schools from September 2020.
The PinkNews Award was presented by the mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, and sponsored by TSB.
After accepting the award Moffat urged the courts to maintain the injunction preventing protestors from gathering outside the school, but said the government also needs to do more to address the issue.
“It’s very important that the injunction continues … But what if [the protestors] just go to a different school? Where’s this going to end?
“For me it’s about the Department of Education and the government being really clear and robust teaching children that it’s OK to have two mummies and two daddies, and that it’s OK to be gay, because you know what, it is OK to be gay.”
His used his platform to deliver a pointed message to the government.
“If you really do [care], stop hiding behind words in your guidance: saying we ‘encourage’ schools to teach LGBT, or if you think it’s ‘age appropriate’, or if the headteacher decides it’s OK to do it, because that’s not good enough.
“My message to the Department for Education is: get off the fence.”
This is the seventh annual PinkNews Awards, sponsored by Amazon, and taking place at Church House, headquarters of the Church of England.