Devout Christian mother sues her son’s school for forcing him to take part in a Gay Pride parade

A Christian mother will sue her son’s primary school after he was forced to take park in a Gay Pride event.  

Izzy Montague said Heavers Farm Primary School in South East London did not give parents the option to choose whether their children took part in the parade.

And parents who complained were treated ‘dismissively’ and ‘barred from the school premises’, according to Christian Concern, whose legal team are supporting parents.

Mrs Montague started the process of suing her son’s primary school last week.

She said: ‘After I complained about my young child being forced to take place in an event that goes against our Christian beliefs, the school’s attitude towards me changed completely. 

‘It was like being bullied. They stopped treating me like any other parent but were antagonistic towards me.’ 

One staff member, also the daughter of executive headteacher Ms Susan Papas, is said to have worn a ‘Why be racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic, when you can just be quiet?’ t-shirt to one meeting with parents. 

Parents have complained this was ‘confrontational’. 

Mrs Montague said: ‘I know other parents who are afraid to speak up because of how the school has treated me. 

‘I believe that they retaliated against me by unreasonably excluding me from the premises, victimising my child and not taking my safeguarding concerns seriously.

‘I wasn’t even trying to stop the Pride event. I just wanted my child to receive an education, rather than indoctrination.’

Parents claim that the school is forcing an aggressive LGBT agenda onto children under 12 years of age in a manner which abuses parental rights and victimises parents.

The Gay Pride parade, which took place in June last year, was compulsory for all students despite parent protests. 

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre said: ‘The way Izzy was treated by staff at Heavers Farm Primary School shows the importance of maintaining parental rights to opt their children out of relationships and sex education. 

‘These lessons sometimes prematurely sexualise young children by introducing them to topics before they’re ready. 

Parkfield community school in Saltley, Birmingham, was forced to cancel LGBT lessons when 600 Muslim children, aged between four and 11, were taken out of school for a day in protest

‘The lessons often seek not only to raise understanding and tolerance of alternative lifestyles but the outright acceptance and approval of them. 

‘The dismissiveness shown to Izzy and many other parents when they raised concerns will only be multiplied if the government proceeds with plans to take away these freedoms.’ 

It comes after Parkfield community school in Saltley, Birmingham, was forced to cancel LGBT lessons when 600 Muslim children, aged between four and 11, were taken out of school for a day in protest.

Mrs Montague has now taken formal legal action against both the school and Croydon Council and filed a complaint with the County Court against the Governing Body of Heavers Farm Primary School.

She claims they breached her parental rights, and that she was victimised and harassed by the school.

She also filed a complaint under the Education Act 1996 to the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds, asking him to use his authority to stop LGBT teaching within Heavers Farm Primary School.  

The Christian Legal Centre is providing support to Mrs Montague as she challenges her treatment.