Accord has welcomed the news that the government review into personal social and health education has ruled sex education should be taught in all schools. However, the coalition is concerned that faith schools will remain able to teach issues such as homosexuality and contraception from the perspective of their denomination and that parents will be able to withdraw children of 14 and under from the lessons.
Until now, only the most basic biological aspects of reproduction had to be taught as part of the national curriculum in science lessons. The new rules are a big step forward and mean that far more young people will have access to high quality information to help them make decisions that could affect the course of their lives. The review has ruled that for the first time parents will not be able to withdraw children aged 15 and up from sex education lessons, meaning that all young people will get the lessons for at least one year.
Currently only 4 in 10,000 parents use the right to withdraw their children and the government strongly hopes that this will not rise now the lessons are compulsory.
Speaking earlier this year when the plans were first announced, Accord Chair Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said:
“It is very good news for the health and happiness of young people that all schools will now be required to teach about responsible attitudes to sex and relationships.
It is crucial that issues such as abortion, contraception, homosexuality, and sex before and after marriage are covered openly and informatively at school.
However, it is regrettable that faith schools will be able to edit the way that such issues are taught and give value judgements on what should be objective matters, for example insisting that abortion is wrong or homosexuality is evil, rather than treating them factually.
Faith leaders certainly have a right to give their views, but this should be separate from the way sex education is taught and not at the same time.
Equally regrettable is the right of parental withdrawal, as it will stop children receiving impartial information that is vital to their general education.
The new recommendation is a welcome step in the right direction, but these opt-outs will weaken its effect and should be withdrawn”
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