The Accord Coalition has welcome that Nadine Dorries MP has today withdrawn her private members Bill, which sought to secure the teaching of the benefits of abstinence education for girls aged between thirteen and sixteen. Her Sex Education (Required Content) Bill was scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Commons this afternoon.
Chair of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said ‘The issue of sex education is a topic that can provoke strong opinion and feeling. However, it is also an area of public policy which should be lead by professional experts in PSHE provision. It is not appropriate for a legislature to entrench or show favor to an ideologically driven approach, such as seemingly advocated by this Bill, and so we are thankful to Nadine Dorries for withdrawing it.
‘At a time when children are bombarded by messages about sex in the media and are subject to peer pressure, the Government should instead be ensuring that all state schools teach high quality Personal, Social, Health and Economic [PSHE] education, which includes age appropriate Sex and Relationships Education.
‘This will help ensure that young people make informed choices based on a broad-based education in sexual and personal relationships. It is important that schools neither avoid these issues, nor seek to limit horizons, as otherwise our young people’s health and wellbeing may be put at risk.’
