Yesterday, a group of several hundred people gathered in Parliament Square to protest against Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) legislation in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The crowd, mainly made up of parents and families, heard from MPs who called on the government to respect “parental rights.” The protest aimed to raise awareness about RSE in schools and inform parents and teachers of their rights. Legislation in Wales means that parents cannot withdraw their children from compulsory RSE lessons in schools, and there are concerns that a similar situation may arise in Northern Ireland.
DUP MP Ian Paisley addressed the crowd, expressing concern over the lack of consultation and stating that the rights of children and parents must be protected. Andrew Bridgen MP also spoke at the event, encouraging the crowd to continue growing a grassroots movement against legislation that curtails parental rights. Mr. Bridgen introduced a bill in the House of Commons to prohibit the promotion of social transition practices in schools and protect children from gender ideology.
In addition to the protest, the children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, called on the government to publish transgender guidance for schools to ensure consistency in handling gender self-identification. The guidance is needed to address recent discussions about banning the practice of social transition through legislation. Education unions have expressed frustration with the delays, emphasizing the challenges faced by schools. Dame de Souza stressed the importance of safeguarding, consistency, and fairness in addressing this issue.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Thomas, a founding member of Public Child Protection Wales, highlighted the need for the public to educate themselves about RSE legislation. Her group has facilitated a court case in Wales to maintain the parental opt-out provision in RSE legislation, but the case did not go in their favor. They have received questions from MPs about the concerns regarding RSE and its terminology, and one question has been referred to the Department for Education for clarification.
In another development, Dame de Souza launched a new campaign called ‘The Big Ambition,’ aiming to gather young people’s opinions on various issues. The campaign aims to ensure that children’s voices are heard by the government and policymakers and to advocate for changes based on the results. The survey will also include parents’ input, and findings are expected next year.