Vast majority of Dutch MPs vote to punish schools that don’t teach LGBT awareness
A large majority of Dutch parliamentarians have said they want schools to be punished for not teaching lessons on LGBT+ acceptance.
Nearly the full lower house, or the Tweede Kamer, voted to support a motion filed by SP MP Jasper van Dijk.
The motion would punish schools which do not teach about LGBT+ awareness and acceptance, according to NOS.
The schools would be punished for consistently refusing to teach the lessons with fines or administrative action.
van Dijk says schools need to teach about diversity in order to fight discrimination.
Three parties voted against the motion, the VVD, SGP and FvD.
VVD MP Dilan Yesilgoz says her party does not want to overstep the Education Inspectorate.
The Inspectorate estimates that around 20 percent of schools, both primary and secondary, don’t teach lessons on diversity.
This is despite it being mandatory since 2012 in the country.
A teacher was sacked in Florida last week for asking middle school children if they feel “comfortable” around black people, Muslims and gays.
Back in March, a group of Muslim parents campaigned to have a gay preschool teacher fired.
Preschool teachers in Australia were last week encouraged to intervene in gendered play, in order to promote equality.
