Thanks be to God, who exhorts His people to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).
Barnabas Fund was much relieved to receive the good news that the Lords Committee has today postponed its consideration of a Statutory Instrument (SI) on Relationships and Sex Education lessons. The SI had been quietly making its way through the UK Parliament and was set to be passed into law in just 24 days.
We extend heartfelt gratitude to all supporters who responded to our email on 4 March urging them to submit their concerns to the Lords Committee. A remarkable 430 objections, the vast majority apparently from Barnabas Fund supporters, were logged in the few remaining hours left before the deadline – enough to cause the Committee to recommend that the SI be debated on the Floor of the House, with the possibility that the Lords will now annul it.
The law, if passed, will impose sex education, in the guise of “Relationships Education” on children as young as four-years-old and sweep aside parents’ rights to withdraw their children from these lessons. The deceptive legislation would lead to the embedding of sex education content – deemed by many parents as inappropriate, confusing and in conflict with deeply held religious beliefs – in compulsory Health and Relationships lessons.
We pray that this legislation will now be scrutinised in the full light of public debate. As the story of the 600 children withdrawn from Relationships Education lessons at Parkfield school in Birmingham clearly demonstrates, the widespread alarm amongst parents must now be addressed.
You can still write to your MP to raise your concerns about the erosion of parents’ rights to protect and nurture their children in accordance with their own beliefs. You may find it helpful to look at our guidance on how to communicate effectively, and prayerfully, with your elected representative.
