Rabat – Less than two weeks after the controversy surrounding the teaching of LGBTQ+ lessons at Kenitra-based French mission school Balzac, a similar incident occurred in the Moroccan city of Marrakech, further alarming parents.
Parents of children enrolled in Marrakech’s French mission school Victor Hugo were shocked to learn that the school was teaching their children about LGBTQ+ and using a curriculum featuring gay and lesbian families.
Speaking with Morocco World News, a parent of one of the students voiced her shock and frustration after finding out the nature of the lessons her daughter receives at school.
She came to the realization after seeing her 10th-grade daughter’s Spanish curriculum, which depicts same-sex relationships, as well as lesbian- and gay-parented families.
The parent described the school’s curriculum as a “huge disaster” and a blatant lack of respect for the values and beliefs of Morocco and its people. “Even though we chose to enroll our children in French education, they must respect our culture and religion … because we are living in Morocco, not in a French territory,” the parent stressed.
The mother said her recent discovery was not an isolated incident, arguing that the school has tried to promote homosexuality and transgenderism among students on several occasions.
“Some teachers told students that they can change their pronouns one day if they want to,” she explained, adding that such teachings are also depicted in primary school curriculums, with “poems that promote homosexuality.”
Targeting Morocco?
Besides the LGBTQ+ lessons, the parent said that the school is “trying to teach them [students] fallacies about Islam,” adding that they prohibit Muslims from displaying any religious affiliation at school, including wearing hijab.
The mother said she reached out to a friend whose child studies at the same French mission school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to inquire about whether there have been similar incidents over there. To the mother’s surprise, however, her friend reassured her that the Jeddah-based school did not promote or teach any LGBTQ+-related lessons.
The school in Saudi Arabia “respects the country they are in and takes into consideration their religion,” said the mother, adding that they do not promote any ideas or beliefs that go against the teachings of Islam.
“Why do they get to do whatever they please in Morocco and freely promote their ideas and feud with students who do not accept their beliefs?” she asked, calling on parents of concerned students, as well as authorities, to intervene and address this activist trend at French mission schools in Morocco.
While she expressed her full acceptance of other people’s beliefs and religions, the mother stressed her complete rejection of any attempts to “indoctrinate” children or “poison their thoughts.”
Widespread outrage
The mother’s comments echoed the thoughts of many Moroccans who have widely criticized the teachings of some French mission schools in Morocco, notably in the aftermath of the December 2022 controversy over the Kenitra-based school incident.
“Children must be protected from such things … nice behavior from the parents,” said a Moroccan social media user, referring to the fact that parents of students from French mission school Balzac in Kenitra had sued the school for teaching LGBTQ+-related topics.
Another Moroccan netizen said: “The school should be closed by now, that’s unacceptable in our country.”
Days after the case came to light, the school fired the teacher who taught students LGBTQ+-related slessons, according to converging reports.
However, some Moroccan netizens encouraged teaching children about homosexuality and the LGBTQ+ community. “LGBTQ people existed in history and all over the world and they will keep existing. I don’t see what’s wrong with educating yourself on their realities,” said a Moroccan social media user.
With the Balzac incident having revived the same debate over what school children should be exposed to in classes, Moroccan parliamentarian Hanane Atarguine accused some French mission schools in Morocco of going against Islam and Moroccan values.
In particular, Atarguine asked Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, whether the government has taken any measures to ensure that the curriculums in foreign schools across Morocco are in line with the country’s values.
“These actions have angered the families, who did not expect that education spaces in which their children study would turn into places for settling political accounts and carrying out unreasonable behavior,” the MP said.
