Catholic school teaching about contraception

[speedymama]

Just read \link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4850908.stm\this}

Personally, I think the school is being responsible if they are providing the girls with information in the context of their religious beliefs. IMO, it is better that they learn about such matters from a responsible source if they are not going to learn about it in their home environment. On this matter, ignorance is definitely not bliss, particularly for those girls who are vulnerable to predatory male acquaintances.

[Tommy]

there is a group of (right wing, quite extreme) Catholics who work in this country doing this sort of stuff. I had the misfortune of working with one of them once (I am a Catholic RE teacher)and they go very much against the general grain of English Catholicism IMO. At the time, this colleague was trying to point out where Cardinal Hume was wrong in some of his homilies etc.
Gives Catholicism a bad name (We're not all crazy )

[bossykate]

i went to a very traditional convent school and we were taught about all the contraceptive options. they were taught as part of the biology syllabus.

[speedymama]

I wonder if this group have any links with Opus Dei? My knowledge of Opus Dei does stem from reading The Da Vinci Code and the little I have read about Ruth Kelly but I acknowledge that is probably largely misinformation

[Hallgerda]

Dreadful! What is the anti-abortion group playing at? Surely greater use of contraception would lead to fewer abortions, wouldn't it?

My old school (independent, not Catholic) did a session on contraception as part of the activities week after O'Levels (showing my age here!). There were a number of teenage pregnancies in my year - all among Catholic girls withdrawn from that session on religious grounds.

[alexsmum]

i can't believe you did contraception after o'levels!!!!
we did it when about 13 i think. i remember one of the teachers shouting at one of the scally boys in the class for not paying attention..." you are exactly the kind of lad who is going to get some girl into trouble, so pay attention!!!"

[Hallgerda]

It was a girls' school, alexmum - we didn't have the same opportunities as young girls today....

[Blu]

I think this group should be prosecuted for harrassment. It must be very unnerving for the poor pupils.
It is none of the group's business what the school teach, if they are not governors, parents or staff at the school, and the school is acting within the law - which it clearly is.

[alexsmum]

it's been a long time since i was 13 hallgerda!

[expatinscotland]

i'm teaching my kids about contraception when they're about 10.

[Hallgerda]

Good idea expat. My children told me about one of their school skipping rhymes - here's some of it

Will you come to tea? Will you marry me?

Where will we be married (toilet, dustbin, church, mansion - cycled until someone misses)

How many children will we have? (1, 2, etc until someone misses)

What colour will they be (black, white, brown, yellow, purple, green - cycled until someone misses)

As you may imagine, this rhyme raised a few issues. I attempted to begin with contraception after DS1 (11) told me that two of his classmates had got up to 50 children. "You don't have to go on having children" I began. "No, Mum, you have to keep skipping", he replied. I was too ROFL to continue .