Promotion of homosexuality in schools

[tectime]

Hi

I have children in junior school, and one is due to undertake a sex education class (too young in my opinion), but I am concerned if the subject of homosexualty is broached. Is this broached in senior schools, or does it happen in junior schools too.

However, on the flip side, I very much liked the point that someone made earlier (thank you thank you whoever you were) that gay children have a right to have their future relationships acknowledged too. Fortunately I came from a family who never made me feel anything other than perfectly OK.

But can you imagine being a LGBT kid and being surrounded all your life with images and advice and examples when you know in your heart this is not going to be your life?

I have a Y6 son. I think that the sex education he has had has been totally lacking in teaching about homosexuality.

This is mainly because there is a culture at primary schools of homophobic comments being acceptable and rampant.(This sadly includes my son) His friends and he understand why racism and sexism is not ok but they often spout comments like "that's so gay" which is worrying- especially when they look surprised when I tell them off. It's also not helped when comments like "That's such a gay car" is broadcasted on Top Gear.

Wake up OP- there are 12 year olds getting pregnant. That means they are having sex at 10 or 11. They aren't going to be showing clips of gay sex but I think it's important to teach children that gay families are just one of many types of family - single parents, step families, heterosexual families, grandparents, adoptive families, foster families...

Personally I think that 10 is too late and that sex education should start earlier. Unless you homeschool I'd be surprised if your children had never heard of being gay.

Thanks,Gay40 I think that's very helpful and reassuring to anyone who might have any lingering concerns about what children may learn. It's quite possible to learn that two women might love each other and choose to make a life together without necessarily concentrating on what they might do in bed together ! Straight people seem to think that sex is the only thing happening in gay people's lives !

My DD showed me this when she told me about a lesbian couple who had talked with a group of young people about their own lives during a Quaker summer gathering. She was about 7 at the time I think and the simplicity with which she told me about the women she'd met and their life together was very heart warming. I thought, yes, that's how I should have learnt about diversity too !

Blimey - DD1 (aged 4) already knows that men sometimes marry other men. I've no idea whether junior school children would be told this in sex ed or not, but I'm quite sure it won't turn into a lesson on anal sex / intimate details!! Nothing to worry about OP - it won't make your dc "turn gay" but if they (or any of their friends) do happen to be gay a bit of understanding and acceptance will make it a whole lot easier for them.

They don't actually learn what straight people do in bed in any great detail in year 5 ( when the infamous video gets shown). The powers that be are hardly likely to go into detail qbout gay sex, now are they?

Relationship education is the important thing- and respect education.

But I think that must be what people get their knickers in a twist about when it comes to sex ed, hey seeker ?

Perhaps it should more often be called "relationship ed" - that might help !

Tbh I'm more likely to get my knickers in a twist if the kids are shown a video of a woman giving birth on her back on a bed as I was at age 10.

Oh and all that scary stuff about what would happen if a bee comes anywhere near you........

and what was it with the bloody daffodils?

"They don't actually learn what straight people do in bed in any great detail in year 5 ( when the infamous video gets shown)"

Um, in the Channel 4 "living and growing" series they pretty much do! Both missionary position and with woman on top are shown. They also talk about boy friends and girl friends and how for some people at primary school this is just friends, other hold hands, other kiss, and that may include tongues.

Clearly schools handle the subject differently, but as I posted earlier, in my limited experience I think that the material is shown probably 2-3 years earlier than I would have seen it (child of the 70s).

Whilst gay relationships are covered in passing, the reason that I watched the dvd is that my dcs are both IVF babies and were both born by c-section. Whilst the dvd covers conception and birth there is no mention of any alternative to "normal" conception and birth, so actually I felt that it was unhelpful as it didn't address "their story". Certainly it would leave a lot of questions for any children of gay couples in the classroom. But I would assume that any parents in that position would have the same opportunity to view the material in advance as I did (complete with snarky comment from the school secretary).

Clothesofsand thanks so much for that - it looks a great book, and right up DD's street, with her passionate interest in families. I'm going to order it.

hi, as the op i have all cpoments for the last two hours. i will add my comments later on.

sorry for the typos. i meant to say that i have read the comments and i will add my comments later as some posters have asked me to comment

sorry for the typos. i meant to say that i have read the comments and i will add my comments later as some posters have asked me to comment

sorry for the typos. i meant to say that i have read the comments and i will add my comments later as some posters have asked me to comment

As a Christian, I am very anxious that children should be taught about both heterosexuality and homosexuality in an informative and objective manner, as I am convinced that nothing does more damage to a person's soul than the cruelty and intolerance that spring from fear and ignorance.

Of course the ultimate responsibility rests with the parents, but we all know that some parents fall short, and it is better that the subject should be addressed by the schools than that damage should be done.

Five Candles - re your comment "the more open you are the more likely children are to grow up and have healthy attitudes and relationships and the LESS likely they are to have underage sex and pregnancies." -- it seems to me there is very little evidence that more information leads to less underage sea and pregnancies. In fact, the contrary seems to be true. Despite the increase in sex/relationship education in UK schools at younger and younger ages and despite the "I'm ok, you're ok, whatever makes you happy is ok" lessons children are given in PSCHE, underage sex and teen pregnancies are at staggeringly high rates in this country. I think a case could be made that too much information is being given to children too early.

I do agree that open dialogues with children can help foster healthy attitudes and healthy relationships, etc and, thus, think the focus of schools should be on relationship education (i.e. friendships, families, etc, not just romantic relationships) rather than on sex education.

Dont worry op, I am sure the school will handle it sensibly, and not let primary children loose with condom clad carrots to do play light sabre fights with, in order to promote homosexuality. "May the cock be in you Luke"

Posadas I think it's the other way round. The changes in sex and relationship education were made in response to the high rates of teen pregnancy. They are not the cause of it.

TBE and MrsSquirrel you're both right teen pregnancies have fallen over the last decade or so. I had not focussed on the trend but on the current levels (nearly 40% for teens 16-18 in England in Wales). I stand corrected on statistics!

TBE -- I entirely agree there should be more messages that it's ok not to have sex. I'm not sure I understand your point, though, about the "overwhelming message in society is to be straight". I think I'm correct in thinking statistics show the overwhelming majority of people are "straight". Why is it surprising (or, as you seem to suggest, wrong) that various societal messages reflect "straight" lifestyles?

But the conversations about sex and consent and self-esteem start very young.

For example, we have always told DD that her body is her own private business and that no one should be touching her in a way that makes her uncomfortable. When she was tiny we referred to her swimming costume area but now she is a bit older she understands her privates are private to her.
She had the actual How to Make a Baby conversation when she was about 6 - the conversation evolved naturally from a question. She wasn't very interested in the answer.
I'm not sure even now she has much concept of the link between sexual activity and relationships, but in my mind she's about where she should be on the learning curve. We encourage an open dialogue and she just asks and we just explain.

Sounds great Gay40

(I'm slightly concerned that I don't have such an open dialogue with my DD (12) - but perhaps the nearly teens are trickier in this respect ! )

Op the best gift to give your dc is of acceptance.They will need it to get along in life. My dd knew about homosexuaity from aged 8 at least.She knew her godfathers lived together and that they were gay like Gok and Louis spence But when they got married it all became clear that she didnt really understand at all.She asked gfs who would be wearing the dress and having the babies We then furthered the informationwe gave her and her only response was "oh,i didnt know that" We then talked about lesbians as well which she was pleased about as "it was more fair on women" Its a great age for them to learn about diversity before they get other peoples ideas thrust upon them.
I presonally would rather talk to my child before they watch a dvd with their giggling clssmates.