A homophobic father has gone head to head with a U.K. school that features a program educating its students about LGBTQ issues.
Because it conflicts with his Muslim faith, Jabar Hussain, 51, removed his nine-year-old son, Amin, from attending Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham for its LGBT+ inclusive curriculum.
As a result, Hussain faces a parenting order by the Birmingham City Council and a fine of roughly $1,106.
The council told Hussain that he could go to jail if he does not pay the fine and if he can not ensure Amin would regularly attend classes. But the father is standing his ground and prepared for the consequences.
Hussain told The Times:
"If I have to go to court, I have to go to court. I would go to jail for this."
The British Government mandates that all children must receive an education between:
"the school term after their 5th birthday and the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16."
Parents can be prosecuted if they deny their children an education and fined if they take their kids out of school during the semester without the school's permission.
The controversy stemmed from a program called No Outsiders, which was created by Parkfield Primary School's former assistant head, Andrew Moffatt.
The program uses approximately 35 picture books depicting various kinds of relationships, including those between LGBT+ people.
One of the books featured in the program includes And Tango Makes Three, a story about two male penguins raising a chick together.
Introducing Teddy is another book from the No Outsiders program, which helps young readers understand gender identity and transition through a story of friendship and a teddy.
One of the passages from the book, geared towards the 3 – 6-year age range, reads:
"I know in my heart I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy."
The program aims to educate the young students about the characteristics protected by the Parliament of the United Kingdom's Equality Act of 2010.
Some of the lessons include areas like disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
The lessons are designed to help children understand the benefits of a diverse society.
But some parents took issue with the program incorporating a book about same-sex relationships, arguing the subject matter was not age-appropriate.
Hussain said that the No Outsiders program was incompatible with his Muslim faith and posed a "safeguarding risk" to Amin and that the program could confuse other students and force them to question their gender identity.
Hussain also said that the prosecution against him was unlawful and is a violation of his human rights.
His lawyer, Paul Conrathe, wrote a legal letter to the Birmingham Council, saying:
"This prosecution criminalizes him for not submitting to teaching in breach of his rights."
"He (the father) considers the school's approach presents a safeguarding risk to his child."
According to The Daily Mail, Hussain had previously mentioned that he did not want the school to tell his son that "it is okay to be gay."
Hundreds of protestors against the program—many of whom were Muslim parents—showed up outside the school gates in early 2019.
Six hundred Muslim pupils, ages 4 – 11, were withdrawn from their classes.
In another protest in September after the No Outsiders program was amended and revived, Hussain led the charge and encouraged those who lived by the Qu'ran and their Muslim faith to join the demonstration.
He told BirminghamLive:
"We are not against anyone expressing their sexuality or being homosexual if that's what they want."
"We have no issue if Mr Moffat wants to put on a dress, or dance around like a ballet dancer, or put on a skirt, we have no issue. We have an issue with teaching that nonsense to our kids."
Hussain expressed he was "deeply concerned" for Amin's psychological welfare.
"This can cause confusion. If my son gets confused about this and about his own body, he might think he is a girl."
"The school thinks this is OK and has to be accepted, even though transgender can mean medical treatment and surgery which could damage my son mentally and physically for life."
The school had previously responded to Hussain, saying:
"Whilst Mr Hussain may believe being gay and lesbian as well as transgender are morally wrong, they are protected characteristics under the Equality Act."
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