A straw poll education about sexually transmitted diseases and using condoms.

[arabhorsesarethebest]

How would you feel if your DC's were in year 10 and were given leaflets by the school listing information/websites on sexually transmitted diseases, using condoms to prevent STI's, FPC/GUM clinics, general advise about sex and staying healthy and support re: sexuality both hetrosexual and homosexual etc.
I'm trying to do a straw poll.

I would be fine with it. I would hope that it was information that they had seen before!

I would expect it and be concerned if it wasn't raised.

Absolutely fine no issue at all. My DD is only 6 weeks old but I intend to be open with her as my mum was with me.

I'd be very pleased.

No issue.

If a child is over 13 and "competent" (google Fraser guidelines) then they can receive information, advice, guidance and contraception.

I should flippin well hope so!

From a purely pragmatic point of view (and maybe I'll stir a few people up but I'd rather keep their kids safe than offend their sensibilities) it is a year too late.

I reckon this sort of information needs to happen a year or so earlier than it's needed in order to sink in and be there to use. Year 10s are 14-15yrs old and I'm afraid especially the older/more mature ones will think about and may try sex before then. Move it into year 9 and you can mostly take it as education "in case you need it" rather than " you are all starting to need this information" .

Likewise the "period talk" was given in yr7 in the DDs school. Both had started well before that and DD2 could have given the talk herself!

What about giving out condoms with chlamydia testing kits?

ooh i miss read your post.
AGE 10 it would make me uneasy
YEAR10 at school I would be delighted

Or links to "video" about putting condoms on (not sordid)?

As Theas18 says, some of the kids may well have already had sex or be thinking about it so condoms and testing kits being given out are a good idea. It's not going to suddenly make someone who isn't in that position rush out to have sex, is it? If DC are having sex, condoms are good; if they aren't, they'll be prepared for when they do. I'm not sure I understand your problem OP.

Year 10 - I should damn well hope so!
Currently wondering whether I should complain to the school I volunteer in about their lack of sex ed (1 period in yr 7, over 10% of girls pregnant by GCSE) - would Ofsted or the governors be interested?

At 14 definitely fine

I dont have a problem but I'm told that some parents do and I'm currently writing the leaflet!

Ah I see, maybe some statistics on numbers of 14/15 year olds having sex/pregnant might help show them how relevant and necessary the information is? However I can imagine some of the parents will be outraged anyway! But as you absolutely have to give the pupils this kind of information, the parents will just have to lump it.

But are they not the people who will have withdrawn their children from PSE?

Can you withdraw your children no one has ever asked me? Are there parents out there who will be outraged? This what I'm trying to find out.

I'd hope they'd have access to this info (in an age appropriate format) before this. Education is important and doesn't necessarily mean that they will use the knowledge just that they will have the information and the tools to deal with it prior to a situation occurring where it would be useful / need it.

Contraception and STDs are part of the bio currirulum so you cant withdraw them from this (thank goodness). Its the PSHCE stuff you can withdraw from but from my experience it only seems to be primaries that bother to inform parents that its coming up.

I'd be very supportive of this and embarass the hell out them probably by asking about it! I think theres almost nothing you could send home in terms of SRE that I'd have a problem with.

Thank you for your positive replys it never crossed my mind that in the 21 st century parents would be bothered about this sort of thing in fact I thought most would positively embrace the idea so was surprised when I was told that some parents don't like it. You all seem to feel as I do which is excellent news.

I would be like ffs it's a bit late in my view somthing they should be learning about before they are likey to have had a sexual encounter of nay kind which in my view is not year 10 more like year 9

Another vote for early sex education here, but I don't think MN users are a representative cross-section of the population. Try NetMums too. Even then it's biased towards those women who are computer-literate and can afford a computer.

If I may be so bold, I'm surprised you're being given this task if you don't already have access to the kind of data you're trying to gather here.

I am asking because I've been told that "many" parents would object to the links I've put on the info leaflet so perhaps I should "tone it down" . I dont know any I've asked my friends so I'm trying to find these "many" parents!

Well my mother would object, I teach in FE and I told her about a unit where the students had to design a health education poster. On student had done a poster with an envelope shaped like a pair of pants, inside were cards that said "pregnant", "genital warts" etc. I thought it was brilliant.

My mother was appaled that a 17 year old would even know that kind of thing, and I think quite worried her daughter was teaching it. So aybe some older / old fashioned parents wouls object.

Some parents with articular religious / cultural backgrounds who believe their child will not have sex outside marriage and therefore do not need the information.

I'm ok with it, BUT my 15 yr old DD was sick in class when shown a pic of diseased genitalia, so the school asked me to write a note excusing her from future lessons.

I've got quite a vivid memory of some pictures I saw at school in my teens, and think DD may be the same. (One pic of Holocaust victims still drifts into my nightmares over 30 years later, plus one of Chinese foot-binding (shudder)).

I don't object to the classes, but don't think this approach suits DD.

I hope they'd be doing a damned sight more than just giving a leaflet, and that this was just the hand out from a well planned and delivered set of lessons (which also covered what pastoral care was available both within the school and what services were in the locality).