Poland to outlaw gay "promotion" in schools

16/3/07

Poland’s Education minister Roman Giertych proposed new legislation akin to Section 28



Poland’s deputy Prime Minister and Education minister Roman Giertych has proposed new legislation that would outlaw any discussion of homosexuality in schools.

At a Ministry of Education on Wednesday, he tried to introduce new laws - strikingly similar to the UK’s Section 28 - that would "prohibit the promotion of homosexuality and other deviance."

Educators that break the law could face imprisonment under the proposed law.

The laws would punish anyone who “promotes homosexuality or any other deviance of a sexual nature in educational establishments, "according to junior Education minister Miroslaw Orzechowski.

At a recent EU education ministers meeting, Roman Giertych criticised the "homosexual propaganda" in schools and suggested a EU-wide ban.

Robert Biedron, President of Polish LGBT organisation Campaign Against Homophobia, said he was “embarrassed” of the proposed legislation.

He called on the EU to take notice of the homophobic legislation "before things go to extremes".

"What happens when a Minister of a member state regularly practices hate-speech and encourages intolerance?" Biedron asked.

"What else are we waiting for before we finally take action? Are we waiting for increase of data on victims of homophobic violence? Are we waiting for camps for LGBT people?"

Roman Giertych also serves as chairman for the ultra conservative League of Polish Families.

In September, he released an official press statement saying he would no longer speak to BBC journalists after the BBC reported about pedophilia among Catholic priests.