Two other findings from supervisory authorities confirm that the efforts of LGBT ideologues to reach children and obtain sensitive private information about their sexuality are illegal and endanger the safety of children. Such research should not be carried out, and especially without parental knowledge. The Ombudsman recommends that it be written into law.
Both the Ministry of Welfare and the Ombudsman are critical of the child sexuality study commissioned by a foreign organization, which the Association of LGBT and their friends Mozaika attempted to be do in Latvia. The State Inspectorate for Protection of Children's Rights, in turn, has turned to the State Police.
Neatkarīgā has already reported that several Latvian non-governmental organizations related to the LGBT community, on behalf of the foreign scientific institution Ghent University, have tried to collect data on the sexual orientation of Latvian students without coordinating it with their parents and the management of educational institutions. It is also unclear for what purposes this sensitive information is intended to be used. The study's description states that it "will allow professionals to better understand how to ensure the well-being and academic achievements of all high school students." In contrast, the questions were about sensitive and ambiguous information that would confuse even adults, which have nothing to do with learning outcomes. In addition, the educational institution and place of residence of the minor respondent can be clearly identified from the additional questions. It would be dangerous for such information to fall into the wrong hands. When the news of such a study came to light, the parents of more than 50 children raised the alarm in the supervisory authorities, and they responded promptly. Neatkarīgā knows that the Ministry of Welfare has addressed the organizer of the children's survey - Association of LGBT and their friends Mozaika - stating that no organization's goals should prevail over children's rights and interests to grow and develop in a safe and child-friendly environment. Negative emotions caused by the questions asked in the questionnaire without the necessary explanation and psychological support can endanger the safety of children and cause harm to intellectually undeveloped individuals. Therefore, the responsible institutions are instructed to take action to prevent further damage to the healthy development of children within the scope of their competence.
The Ombudsman also considers this child sexuality study in this form to be unsuitable and inadmissible. Therefore, it plans to turn to its organizer - the University of Ghent. If they want to study something in Latvia, they should cooperate with a Latvian educational institution that is familiar with national legal standards and ethical norms. Here is an explanation from the Ombudsman's letter to the parents who raised the alarm:
"The Ombudsman, reading the content of the questionnaire, agrees that the questions asked to students can be confusing, and questions about the sociological portrait of the interviewed student - municipality name, school name, class, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, parents' place of birth allows to identify the specific student - the person who completed the questionnaire, which in the opinion of the Ombudsman is not acceptable for the questionnaire, which is marked as anonymous (..) When organizing the student survey, researchers were obliged to inform children and their parents about the research, goals and tasks. In addition, children had to be provided with information in a way that they could understand. In the Ombudsman's view, the terminology used in the questionnaire without explaining it, in particular concerning various issues of gender identity, sexual orientation and its change, could be incomprehensible to a large number of students who have decided to take part in the questionnaire."
Currently, this on child sexuality in Latvia has been suspended due to parental objections. The Association of LGBT and their friends Mozaika has also deleted from its social profiles the calls to fill in the questionnaire. However, this research is still ongoing in other European countries. And it is possible that these or other child sexuality researchers supported by LGBT organizations will want to conduct new surveys of a similar nature. Therefore, in the Ombudsman's view, such research needs to be regulated more precisely: “Latvian national legislation should strengthen norms on how children are involved in various sociological surveys, public opinion polls, setting clear preconditions for participation, principles of voluntary and anonymous participation, necessary consents and permits, restrictions, etc. Such norms could be included, for example, in the amendments to Section 50.1 of the Law on the Protection of the Children's Rights “Restrictions on Involvement of the Child in Events.” The Ombudsman expresses his readiness to offer his vision in the development of the relevant norms.”
Thus, public authorities have made it clear that
researchers are not allowed to question children on anything that comes to their mind.
Even if the research is carried out on behalf of a foreign country in the interests of LGBT organizations.
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