who should educate your child state or you ?

[Isdore]

I am worried about something and i would like us parent to take action against this trend of eroding parental responsibility. I feel the state wants to take away of our role has parents.

i have 3yr old (to young yet !) i am very worried about this !! :( :(

Please don't take the guidlines at face value-ask your school what content they are using

we need to write our MPs : stoprse.com/index.php/contact-your-local-mp/

They going to expose our children to sexualise content at the age of 3 on wards. They will decide(guidelines) this in the next 2 months

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/235053 - please share this

Currently (January 2019) a subject known as Sex & Relationship Education (SRE) is taught in some UK schools; it is not compulsory and parents can withdraw their children.

However, the law is changing ….

• From 1st September, 2020 Relationship Education will be taught as compulsory in all primary schools across England (from Reception Class upwards).

• From 1st September, 2020 Relationship & Sex Education (RSE) will be taught as compulsory across all secondary schools across England.

• The government has produced draft guidelines (July 2018) on what must be taught but these are currently vague and minimal. However, they do state that L_G+B+T+ issues must be taught to all children and recommend that these issues are taught across the entire school curriculum. We are currently awaiting the finalised guidelines which should be produced in Spring 2019.

• Schools must develop their own Relationship Ed/RSE policy and curriculum and are free to determine how to teach Relationship Ed/RSE issues. Schools are free to choose whichever Relationship Ed/RSE resources they decide upon; however, the guidelines state these must be ‘age-appropriate’ and sensitive to the needs of the pupils.

• The draft guidelines clearly state that schools must work and consult with parents on the development of the Relationship Ed/RSE policy and the curriculum it uses.

I have also heard rumours that they are going after home schooling under the pretext of "boogy monster topics you see in news"! its unacceptable.

Has a catholic and parent we should have the rights and freedom to choose whats best for our children not the state or the lobby groups!

We believe it is the parent’s fundamental right to teach their child RSE topics or to at least decide who teaches them and when and how they are taught. We want the right to opt our children out of RSE when it becomes mandatory in Sept 2020.

More details
We have grave concerns about the physical, psychological and spiritual implications of teaching children about certain sexual and relational concepts proposed in RSE and believe that they have no place within a mandatory school curriculum.

We believe the above factors have not been given enough consideration and that many of the RSE resources being produced by lobby groups and external organisations will actually cause more harm than good, particularly when child development and psychological factors are considered.

[Sheogorath]

Surely at 3-6 it's just going to be stuff about different kinds of families and whatever. They're not going to be shown graphic depictions of sex, (or worse, gay sex/s).

[Ooplesandbanoonoos]

Why is it ok for children to know about heterosexual relationships but not lgbt 'issues'- whatever that means. You need to get in the real world.

[Lifeisnotsimple]

If you asked me this before my child started school id would be outraged at aiming sexual content at kids in primary, but my ds is in yr 1 and now i think thus is vital. Children are growing up quickly, only last week i had to approach the school cos the 5yr old kids were asking to see my childs bum and penis, he was not comfortable with doing so but the kids laughed at him. Plus this one girl has been asking him to bite her etc. Kids of this age need to start to learn boundaries, consent and what is acceptable or not. Need to be taught loving relationships. Its not about intercourse or other sexual acts but teaching them about differences in bodies and bounderies. Kids at this age are curious despite how uncomfortable it makes us as adults. I said to the teacher i thought i would be dealing with this at secondary school not in yr 1 but it the way of the world. As a mum i want to protect my son at all costs, so he is taught what is acceptable and what isnt.

[GregoryPeckingDuck]

I don’t agree with you but I do. I see nothing wrong with teaching children about these things from a young age (I think it’s desirable) but I am concerned about the ratio of children that go to state schools. The vast majority of children (90% almost) are state educated. Private schools and home schooling are not a viable alternative for most families. Already families like yours apparently are being marginalised and possibly having information you don’t approve of forced on your child. There are opportunities for parents to petition MPs or to launch a judicial review but both methods have limitations. If the government wanted to they could ensure that almost four out of five people (to account for the odd rebel/clever person) believed x using schools. It’s seriously fucked up. I think the only reason British people aren’t concerned is that a) they’ve been brainwashed into beiliving that attending a state school makes them morally superior or b)they don’t want to acknowledge that their dependence leaves them vulnerable. What can you do? Hope for the best a obtain dual citizenship.

[YenneferOfVengerberg]

But parents still have the right to withdraw their kids from these lessons if they're concerned about 'having information they don't approve of forced on their child'.

BTW, some people believe that the Earth is flat. Is it okay for state schools to then 'force information' on them that the Earth is round? What about 'forcing' anti-fascist sentiment on the children of racists?

[ninefingers]

www.bbc.com/news/education-47305785

[JohnWicksDog]

@Isdore

Did you watch the commons debate on this this afternoon?

[Parker231]

Sounds a step in the right direction - start as young as possible in teaching tolerance and diversity. No one is suggesting detailed sex education classes to three year olds.

[OscarIsaacsEyes]

I'm very happy that sex and relationship education will be made compulsory. Also very happy for my children to learn about LGBT issues. I trust my children's schools to teach them in an age appropriate way as they always have done on any subjects.

Maybe post over on feminism, you might get the reaction you are looking for over there. HTH

[OscarIsaacsEyes]

of course children should know about LGBT and sex but i do think the parent should be the one to have this conversation with a child and not feel forced into it because at school next week we have to learn about this.

Ideally yes, but many parents are not talking to their children about these things ever. I've heard of a year 6 girl not knowing about periods because her parents withdrew her from the talks and didn't discuss it themselves with her. These parents are unlikely to be discussing sex, relationships or LGBT issues. Making it compulsory will be a good thing.

[Bumbalaya]

OP you are being very old fashioned. Do you want your child to be equipped for the real world and have healthy and happy boundaries relationships or not?

[YourSarcasmIsDripping]

I'm a parent and Catholic.

1. You are bonkers.
2. Your post is full of spelling and grammar mistakes,so no,maybe you shouldn't be educating your child.
3. Your child will learn about non heterosexual families and relationships anyways, it's been part of the curriculum for ages.

[Seniorschoolmum]

Having seen the content aimed at my ds aged 10, and the days of helpless giggles after their lesson, I have no concerns. My ds & his friends seem to take in a superficial amount and then discard any greater detail as either stupid or gross. And then go back to their Pokemon game.
My mum’s approach to the subject has to tell me to shut up when I asked any questions. After 4 daughters and 6 dgds, she still couldn’t say the word period above a stage whisper. The whole situation was ludictous. So I think it should be included in lessons in an age appropriate way.

[Pishogue]

There’s a disturbing correlation on this thread between semi-literacy and being anti-sex ed.

[Wickerman11]

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/amoral-sex-education-undermines-parents-hb926cz7f

Oh look, Melanie Phillips agrees with them. Quelled surprise.

[silvercuckoo]

I am an agnostic and very liberal / pro-science and enlightenment in my views, but I think there are areas where the state should not have a say. Relationship education is definitely one of them. It is enough to scroll through a couple of forums here to see that "relationship", "respect", "friendship" etc. mean totally different things to different people. It is even a bit disturbing to think that there is a curriculum spec for a "good" relationship or friendship.

[JohnWicksDog]

What do you think the state are going to teach that the shouldn't?

[DauntlessFaction]

It is enough to scroll through a couple of forums here to see that "relationship", "respect", "friendship" etc. mean totally different things to different people.

That's precisely why the state should have a say. The awful behaviour that some people accept from partners, parents etc is being witnessed by children. They will grow up thinking this kind of shit is ok. School can help to educate children on what a healthy equal relationship is when not all children are seeing examples of that in real life.

[YourSarcasmIsDripping]

It is even a bit disturbing to think that there is a curriculum spec for a "good" relationship or friendship.

Yes...mutual respect,kindness,understanding and consent.
Disturbing indeed.

[silvercuckoo]

School can help to educate children on what a healthy equal relationship is when not all children are seeing examples of that in real life.
And a healthy equal relationship is?... Mutual respect, kindness etc are all quite abstract emotional categories, and different people have very different ideas of how it looks in reality. Look at how opinions differ on literally every thread about a relationship problem - from "LTB and no contact with the kids for him" to "look at yourself". Consent is a legal concept, I have absolutely no issues with it being on the curriculum.
Also, I think it would be logical then to demand that the teachers of "relationship education" are themselves in state-audited and vetted, officially "good" relationships. Just in the same way as you expect a French teacher to speak French, a music teacher to be able to play an instrument etc.

[YourSarcasmIsDripping]

expect a French teacher to speak French, a music teacher to be able to play an instrument etc.

Have you been in a primary lately?

[OldCrone]

Surely at 3-6 it's just going to be stuff about different kinds of families and whatever.

It could also be about changing sex. GIRES produces 'educational materials' including lesson plans for schools to teach children that they can choose their sex. They have stories about cute sex-changing penguins which are aimed at 3-6 year olds. If this concerns you, it would be worth checking with your child's school where they are getting their teaching resources from.

www.gires.org.uk/classroom-lesson-plans/

[Needadvices]

@isdore i share all of your concerns. Teaching respect within a relationship would be fine but thats not whats happening.
Whats been thought is that what sex you are is an opinion, that is fine to have sex with anyone if you feel "in love", that whatever you want to do just go ahead and do it without any regard for religion morality culture etc. All this talk of freedom stops the moment someone mention religious beliefs for example. Or in case promiscuity and homosexuality and sex change are not seen as desiderable.

[InfiniteCurve]

What surprises me on these threads is that people are so insecure about their family values and beliefs that they think the odd lesson at school will cancel out everything they teach their children at home.
Education and knowledge are good.If you are a caring involved parent with strong beliefs you talk to your children about what they are learning in school,in the context of what you believe as a family.This is UK primary education - they don't take your children away for 6 months and only let them home when they are toeing the party line...

[OldCrone]

What surprises me on these threads is that people are so insecure about their family values and beliefs that they think the odd lesson at school will cancel out everything they teach their children at home.

But they should at least be sticking to the facts, not teaching children that they can change sex if they want to.