Education minister criticises “irresponsible†principals for allowing LGBT day in Polish schools
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Loading... - Margaret Miller
- 02 Nov 2022
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Poland’s education minister has criticised principals who were “irresponsible” enough to allow an annual event in support of LGBT people to be held in their schools. He warns that “gender revolutionists” are trying to implant dangerous ideas in the minds of children.
Since 2016, Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH), an NGO, has organised a nationwide “Rainbow Friday” (TÄ™czowy PiÄ…tek) in October during which school pupils can show solidarity with their LGBT peers by wearing rainbow-coloured clothes and organising events such as workshops and film screenings.
“We want young people from the LGBT+ community to know that they are okay, that they have support and are not alone – that there are a lot of people, both adults and their peers, who stand alongside them,” Joanna Skonieczna from KPH told news outlet Noizz.
School authorities can decide whether to officially allow such activities to take place. KPH does not collect data on which institutions are involved to ensure the safety of those taking part, but the organisation’s Cecylia Jakubczak told OKO.press that events “were held all over Poland”.
One school that took part this year was the Academic High School in Toruń, which is consistently ranked as one of the top high schools in Poland. As well as Rainbow Friday, it held a broader Day of Tolerance, encouraging students to show respect for everyone regardless of sex, ethnicity, religion or skin colour.
A number of celebrities also publicly supported the initiative, including a group of figures from the worlds of sport, music, filmmaking, art, social media and fashion who this year created a special film – You’re OK! – for the occasion.
Figures from Poland’s ruling national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party – which has mounted a long-running campaign against what it calls “LGBT ideology” – have long been critical of Rainbow Friday.
In 2019, deputy prime minister Jacek Sasin warned that such “indoctrination should not be allowed” and suggested “introducing regulations” to prevent it. The education ministry sought to discourage schools from taking part in Rainbow Friday and suggested they instead organise “patriotic trips” on the same day. Read More…
