Young children are to be taught about homosexuality in their maths, geography, science and English lessons, it has emerged.
As part of a Government-backed drive to ‘celebrate the gay community’, maths problems could be introduced that involve gay characters.
In geography classes, students will be asked why homosexuals move from the countryside to cities – and words such as ‘ outing ’ and ‘ pride ’, will be used in language classes.
The lesson plans are designed to raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual issues and, in theory, could be used for children as young as four.
Controversial: Children will be taught about gay issues in maths, English, science and geography lessons
They will also mean youngsters are exposed to images of same-sex couples and books such as And Tango Makes Three, which tells the story of two male penguins raising a chick.
Meanwhile, statistics students may use census data on the number of homosexuals in England.
However critics warn that the drive is an unnecessary use of resources and distracts attention from learning, as British schools tumble down international league tables in maths, English and science. Although the lesson plans are not compulsory, they are backed by the Department for Education and will be available for schools to download from the Schools Out website.
Sue Sanders, from Schools Out, said: ‘All we are attempting to do is remind teachers that LGBT people are part of the population and you can include them in most of your lessons when you are thinking inclusively. ’
David Watkins, a teacher who is involved in the scheme, said: ‘When you have a maths problem, why does it have to involve a straight family or a boyfriend and girlfriend? Why not two boys or two girls?
‘It’s not about teaching about gay sex, it is about exposing children to the idea that there are other types of people out there,’ he added.
Reader submissions
1) I never thought I would live long enough to see this!
2) This is disgusting! If I had a young child it would be home schooled. These morons reduced the age of sex education and wondered why teenage pregnancies jumped up so high. When I was at school they taught us sex education at a suitable age and it was VERY RARE for a schoolgirl to have a child, and I am not an OAP either. When will normality return to this country????
3) My 60-year-old mother didn't know what a lesbian was until she was 16. How times have changed!
4) This is absolutely disgraceful. Why should 100% of our kids be told about the lifestyle choice that affects only 2-6% of the population? I don't care if someone is gay, that’s their business, but they shouldn't force their lifestyle into every part of life. There are more Christians in this country than gays, but if you were to talk about Christian values these days, you'd be in trouble. Most people are tolerant of gays, but most people are not happy with this gay activism, where they are trying to brainwash our kids from an early age that their lifestyle is every bit as valid and should be celebrated just like a heterosexual lifestyle.
5) This isn't about sex education, it's about equality. It's just highlighting equality and that you are free to love who you love. You don't have to talk about sex, but homosexuality is part of our society.
6) When, oh when will our Government accept that God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve?? It's Political Correctness gone mad.
7) Homosexuality is just another aspect of society, no different to race, gender or appearance. It's really not a big deal, get over it. I'd rather my 4-year-old learnt about tolerance than hiding her from reality.
8) This isn't education. This is recruiting. I've always believed that homosexuals have a lot of friends in high places.
9) Is it still legal to be heterosexual?
Vocabulary
outing - публичное разоблачение тайного гомосексуалиста или лесбиянки
- the naming by homosexuals of other prominent homosexuals, often against their will
- when someone publicly says that someone else is homosexual, when that person does
not want anyone to know
pride - ежегодный фестиваль гомосексуалистов и лесбиянок
awareness (about s/th) - осведомленность; информированность (o чем-л.); осознание (чего-л.)
census - перепись; сбор сведений
drive -
a charity drive —
a drive to raise funds —
to tumble - падать
league table - сравнительная таблица; порядковая таблица; ранжирование
LGBT - lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
inclusive - инклюзивный - not excluding any particular groups of people an inclusive society
Not everyone shares his vision of an inclusive America.
straight -
to home school - to teach one's child at home instead of sending him or her to school
home schooling
home-schooler - a child who is educated at home, esp. by his or her parents
moron - болван, идиот
OAP - old age pensioner - пенсионер по старости
Найдите в тексте устойчивые словосочетания:
иметь влиятельных друзей -
Romanian Orthodox 'priests' strip off for gay calendar they say will bring 'hope, joy and comfort'
A new calendar created by Romanian Orthodox Christians featuring muscular male models in steamy poses has been unveiled.
The men behind the Romanian Orthodox 2014 calendar say it pays tribute to gay marriage, which, they say, 'is in the news all around the world and very timely'.
'A great gift for people who like illustrations, artwork, artistic photography, and controversial art in their decor. These pictures will definitely bring you hope, joy and comfort,' promise the creators.
OC (Orthodox Calendar) was established in 2012 and is the brainchild of a group composed mostly of Orthodox Christian eastern Europeans of the former communist regions.
One of the calendar's organisers told The Huffington Post that the snaps don't feature any actual priests. The models are gay-friendly members 'of the Orthodox Church' who have chosen to strip down for the sexy shoot 'because they believe - like us - in freedom of speech, tolerance, equality and human rights.'
'This product is not intended to be used for religious purposes. It is a work of artistic expression and political and social commentary promoting the modernity and dynamism of persons involved in the Orthodox Church,' added the source.
Writing on their website they say their primary goal is to 'demonstrate that Orthodox believers do not all fit the backward, hidebound stereotype portrayed in the press but rather are regular people with passions, preferences, interests and desires.
'At the same time, the calendar takes an ironic approach to the Orthodox Church itself, which in recent years has been embroiled in corruption scandals, artist repression, gay sex cover-ups, outrageous behavior and homophobia,' they add.
Reader submissions
1) Excellent.!!!!
2) REALLY!?!?!
3) Where can I buy one of these calendars?!!!
4) DISRESPECTFUL!!!
5) This is a blasphemous disgrace.
6) A nice bit of eye candy.
7) Not for me! Yuk!
8) If only churches were really full of priests like these...
9) Noooooooooooo, tell me it isn't true!
Vocabulary
steamy – зд. эротический
to unveil – представлять; объявлять; анонсировать; обнародовать
to pay tribute (to) – отдать дань (уважения, памяти), отдать должное
brainchild – порождение ума; идея; выдумка; замысел; детище
The project was the brainchild of one of the students.
snap – снимок
hidebound – ограниченный; узколобый; с узким кругозором; закоснелый
hidebound reactionaries
to embroil – запутывать, впутывать (в неприятности); вовлекать
I became embroiled in an argument with the taxi driver.
cover-up – сокрытие (преступления); укрывательство
blasphemous – богохульный; кощунственный
eye candy – приятный на вид
He's such an eye candy. - Его привлекательная внешность радует глаз.
yuk – гадость, тьфу