Primary school which put up 11 Pride flags accused of 'indoctrinating four-year-old children'

An infant school has been accused of 'indoctrinating four-year-old children' after it put up 11 Pride flags on the school gates. 

Westmeads Community Infant School in Whitstable, Kent, has been blasted on social media following its decision to display the flags during Pride month. 

Conservative peer, Dame Jacqueline Foster, is among the many who joined criticism of the school on X, describing the move as 'wholly inappropriate'. 

She added: 'All materials referring to 'sex education' have to be age appropriate and this is not.

'Infants do not come into any category at all - it should be removed immediately.'

However, head teacher, Kirsty White, defended the decision to display the flags, saying Westmeads, which has 156 pupils aged four to seven, is 'an inclusive school in every sense'.

She told Joe Harbert of the Kent Messenger: 'Equity is one of our core school values underpinning everything we do and fundamental to our ethos.

'We feel strongly that representation for every member of our community matters.

'We will always celebrate our diverse community through a progressive curriculum representative of British values.'

The row erupted on Monday night when writer and social commentator James Esses shared pictures on X of the rainbow colours on the school fence. 

He posted: 'Dear @westmeadsschool, could you kindly explain why you appear hellbent on indoctrinating 4-year-old children by plastering this ideological symbolism all over your school?'

After social media comments attacked the school for flying the flags, Westmeads locked its X profile to prevent further criticism.

Local Labour councillor Chris Cornell said 'Our town is a very LGBTQ+ inclusive place and this homophobia is awful.'

Some parents have also backed the decision of the school to display the flags during Pride month. 

Mother Olivia Thomas said 'The community created around the school is wholly-centred on inclusivity.

'The school values are a really important part in ensuring our children and next generation grow up understanding and celebrating diversity, feeling safe to be themselves and always welcoming different views.'

Another parent, Hayley Johns, said 'Choosing this school for my child with its values and leadership, and its strong sense of community ethics was absolutely forefront in my decision, and I will defend it.'

A third mother, Marie Lewzey, added 'I couldn't be prouder to send my child to Westmeads Community Infants School. 

'Westmeads' values are those we, as a community, nation and global society, should aspire to embody.

'Its atmosphere of acceptance and inclusivity has had such a positive impact on my child's development.

'Because of Westmeads, I learn from my child's openness and inquisitiveness every day.'

Ms White took over as head of the school in September 2021, and Westmeads was given its first Ofsted rating in 14 years the following summer.

It was downgraded from 'outstanding' to 'requires improvement' with the inspectors rating the school as 'good' for behaviour and attitude, personal development, leadership and management and early years' provision.

Their report said: 'Pupils at Westmeads Infant School are happy and carefree.

'They enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities at break and lunchtimes. Leaders ensure the school's core values, particularly love and kindness, are understood by all.'

The critical post on social media has now been viewed over 200,000 times. 

One person commented: 'Let children be children. They do not need to be prematurely brought to adulthood. 

'That's why there's censorship laws on films and computer games so children are not exposed to unnecessary adult content. Clearly this is the case at this school. Perhaps the educators should work in a secondary school.'

Another wrote: 'I'm not transphobic nor homophobic but to have a primary school displaying the pride flag is wrong. They do not need to know about this sort of thing at their age.

'It's fine when older when they can choose their own sexuality but this is what the school wants, not what the kids want or need.

'Schools are a place of learning age appropriate things but the pride meaning is not one of those things. Again I'm not against pride or who loves who, I quite frankly don't care. But not in a primary school.'

A third added: 'The bigoted snowflakes who have a problem with this sort of thing with schools have absolutely no idea what they are actually taught at school. It's all very age appropriate.

'The bigots don't like children knowing that kids can have two dads or two mums. Well, like it or not, they'll find out eventually.'