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| Section 28: Schools 'still have anti-gay policies', claim humanists | Section 28: Schools 'still have anti-gay policies', claim humanists |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Welsh government says it will investigate reports that two schools still have sex education policies which ban the promotion of homosexuality. | The Welsh government says it will investigate reports that two schools still have sex education policies which ban the promotion of homosexuality. |
| The law known as Section 28 was passed by the Conservative government in 1988 but overturned by Labour in 2003. | The law known as Section 28 was passed by the Conservative government in 1988 but overturned by Labour in 2003. |
| The British Humanist Association said Tasker Milward in Haverfordwest and St Illtyd's RC School in Cardiff appeared to believe Section 28 was still law. | The British Humanist Association said Tasker Milward in Haverfordwest and St Illtyd's RC School in Cardiff appeared to believe Section 28 was still law. |
| Tasker Milward has apologised for having "an old policy" on its website. | Tasker Milward has apologised for having "an old policy" on its website. |
| "Tasker Milward are committed to promoting equality and opportunity for all as stated in our Strategic Equality Plan," the school announced on Twitter. | |
| Introduced by Margaret Thatcher's government, Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act stated that councils should not "intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" in its schools or other areas of their work. | |
| It faced strong protests led by gay rights and equality campaigners until it was repealed by the devolved administration in Scotland in 2000 and by the UK government with respect to England and Wales in 2003. | |
| 'High concern' | |
| In 2009 Prime Minister David Cameron gave a public apology for his party's actions in passing Section 28, saying: "We got it wrong". | |
| But the British Humanist Association (BHA) said it had found that 45 schools continued to have sex and relationships education policies that either replicated Section 28 or were "unhelpfully vague" on the issue. | |
| The BHA said the two schools in Wales it identified gave them "high concern" for making reference to Section 28 in their policies on sex education, suggesting the schools believed that the act was still in force 10 years after it was overturned. | |
| A copy of Tasker Milward's sex and relationships education policy, updated in 2008, states: "Section 28 of the Local Government [Act] does not prevent teachers from addressing issues of homosexuality in the classroom in a neutral and unbiased manner, however, the LA [local authority] shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material which actively promotes homosexuality". | |
| St Illtyd's published policy, dated May 2011, says: "It is noted that Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 does not prevent the objective discussion of homosexuality in the class room." | |
| On Tuesday, the Welsh government said it was "very concerned" to hear reports about Tasker Milward School's sex education policy. | |
| "The law is very clear in respect of Section 28," a spokesperson said. | |
| "We are investigating this as a matter of urgency." |