Primary School Protesters "Whipping Up A Frenzy" Against Head Teacher Over LGBT Book

21 May 2019, 16:30 | Updated: 21 May 2019, 17:31

The head teacher at a primary school facing criticism over an 'LGBT friendly' book says protesters are whipping up a "toxic" and "dangerous" frenzy against her.

Head teacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson told LBC that protests outside her school in Birmingham have become inflammatory and sinister, with some people having eggs thrown at them.

Daily protests, led by Shakeel Afsar, have gathered outside the Anderton Park Primary School to voice their concerns about books with LGBT messages being read to pupils.

Mr Afsar claimed to have the backing of nearly 300 parents who, like him, want the school to suspend LGBT books and discussions, which he says offend most of the school's mainly Muslim parents.

A page in one of the books said: "Lots of children live with their mummy and daddy, but lots of live with just their daddy, or just their mummy.

"Some live with their grandma and grandpa, some children have two mummies or two daddies, and some are adopted or fostered."

Speaking to LBC's Matthew Thompson, Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson said the protesters were "inflammatory" and "very sinister".

"It's very inflammatory, very dangerous, very sinister to say to children who have only ever known me as their head teacher to say that I am against Islam, which is so important to the vast majority of our pupils," she said.

"That's toxic poisoning spreading of hate, whipping up a frenzy against me."

The head teacher also said she supports the idea of an exclusion zone around the primary school, after Labour MP Jess Philips called for one.

She said: "I can't believe I'm having this conversation.

"Jess Phillips was here yesterday and she called upon everybody who can do anything an exclusion zone because what happened on Friday was a real pivotal moment for us."

- Jess Phillips Brands Anti-LGBT Lesson Protester A "Chancer"