Labour. New danger?
The last government in its dying months published guidance for the teaching of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) in schools.
It was prompted by stories of inappropriate materials being used, ‘sexuality’ being taught to youngsters and gender ideology being promoted in the classroom.
It set down ages at which children should be taught particular things.
For example, it said that sex education should not be taught before Year 5, ‘in line with what pupils learn about conception and birth as part of the National Curriculum for science’.
The final document was due to be published in the autumn, but that is now in doubt with a new administration and Education Secretary.
And this is why I have fears for schools – particularly in primary schools – with regard to the teaching of ‘sexuality’.
Will the new government row back on the guidance? Will it assume that it is the state’s job to teach these things to children, rather than parents?
Will teachers be empowered to teach ‘sexuality’ to primary school children, or even gender ideology? Only time will tell.
I think all governments – whether on the left of centre or the right of centre – have been wrong on this issue, although the last government did see sense in the end.
However, with this new government there are dangers because the left tends to be more controlling and ‘nanny state’.
Does the state have the right to educate young children about sexuality?
They may issue some general guidelines about respect and consent, but these are obvious moral standards for most.
Teachers may have a variety of views on sexuality and there is a real danger that children will now be taught things their parents find reprehensible or just plain wrong.
When I was at school, I was taught the biological facts of sex and reproduction.
There was absolutely no comment during my schooling about what was or wasn’t moral. This was an area that the teachers just did not enter into.
It was an area reserved for families or religious leaders.
And the theories of gender identity hadn’t even been invented.
In a secular society where there are many views about sexuality, what gives any government – no matter how big their majority – the right to decide on this?
We should not forget that this majority was delivered on 34 per cent of the vote.
The other 66 per cent did not vote for them.
With just a third of the votes, this government must be very careful to listen to the rest of society and be careful about what is being taught in its schools.
The government’s job in a democracy is to ensure freedom of speech is maintained.
No one has the right to lay out their own views on these issues and enforce them in schools – particularly in primary schools.
It is a very contentious area and if they start to permit the teaching of sexuality in primary schools, they could soon face a severe reaction.
My advice to government is to stop and think. Who really has the right to educate a child on this and other similar issues?
Only the parents should instil morals surrounding sexuality. They may do it badly and politicians may disagree with them. But that is the way it should be.
Parents should be respected and left alone to set out their own standards to their children.
ends