3 June 2014

CHRISTIAN CONCERN:


ACTION ALERT
Act now to protect children from
inappropriate sex education

 



Deadline: 12noon this Friday (6th June)

The House of Commons Select Committee on Education is holding an inquiry into Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) in schools and has called for evidence to be submitted by Noon next Friday (6th June).

SRE can have a very profound effect in shaping young people's attitudes and behaviour with regard to sex. Various groups are active in promoting an approach to SRE that diminishes the role of parents, provides no coherent moral framework and fails to show the connection with marriage and family. Young people will suffer as a result of such teaching.

This is an important opportunity for pupils, parents, grandparents, teachers, governors, youth workers, church leaders and others to speak up for a responsible approach and protect children from dangerous SRE.

Please respond to the Committee - even a brief response is better than none at all. 

Responding to the Committee is all the more important given:

  • The Church of England's new guidance on tackling 'homophobic bullying' developed following consultation with Stonewall (read more here)

  • News that the Crown Prosecution Service is developing resources to help teachers tackle 'homophobic abuse' (read more here)


Details of how to respond are available here >


Guidance for your response

The Family Education Trust (FET) highlights the following points (which are explained in more detail in its briefing document here):

  • Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education should not be made a statutory part of the school curriculum

  • Schools should remain accountable to parents with regard to their PSHE and SRE provision

  • Pupils must be protected from inappropriate teaching and materials in SRE classes

  • The recent ‘supplementary advice’ produced by the PSHE Association, Brook and the Sex Education Forum does not merit government support

  • It is notoriously difficult to measure the effectiveness of SRE

  • You can download the full guidance from the Family Education Trust (FET) here >
  Further help:

  • You can download further guidance from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) here >

  • Good resources: You may also want to highlight the availability of high quality resources from organisations such as Lovewise, which have been well received in many schools. The head-teacher and governors of your local school might also be interested in these materials.

  • Please respond in your own words and note your interest in this issue (e.g. pupil, parent, teacher)

Thank you for taking the time to respond - it does make a difference.

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