Carla Lockhart said:

“I despair that the NIO seem determined to make our classrooms a place where the ending of human life is promoted and normalised.

We should be teaching our children and young people about hope, about the value of life, about every life reaching its potential. Instead, we now have a diktat from the Secretary of State that imposes abortion propaganda on your young people. It is a sad indictment on the priorities of some.

In recent weeks many head teachers and teachers have contacted me expressing their concern that their right to religious belief, and their position on the right to life, will now be used to discriminate against them in the workplace. Teaching staff must have the right to opt-out, and it is important by exercising that right, that they face no penalty either directly, or indirectly by hindering career progression.

I have raised these matters with the Secretary of State. We must have clarity on these issues and safeguarding of important rights for those who believe abortion to be wrong.”