Updated guidance on relationships and sex education (RSE) from the Department for Education has received a mixed reaction from Christians.
Among the changes that have been welcomed is the requirement that schools pay greater heed to the views of parents and students when teaching sex education. Schools will also be required to make all sex education material, no matter its source, available to parents.
In the past, some schools have used copyright concerns as a reason for not making sex education material available to parents.
The new guidance countermands this by stating that any contracts preventing parents from viewing any material are “void and unenforceable” on the grounds that “they contradict the clear public policy interest of ensuring that parents are aware of what their children are being taught in sex and relationships education”.
In addition, faith schools are free to teach sex and relationship education in a way that aligns with their beliefs.
However, not all changes have been welcomed.
The Christian Institute said that there have been “some concerning updates” on the teaching of LGBT content. Notably, schools previously had “discretion” as to whether to teach younger children about LGBT, now the guidance states, “We strongly encourage primary schools to teach about healthy loving relationships, and to include same-sex parents along with other family arrangements when discussing families.”
On similar lines, previous guidance warned schools not to teach concepts such as gender identity. This warning has now been removed and schools are now told that “they should be careful not to endorse any particular view or teach it as fact”.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, said, “The new guidance contains vital new rights for parents to see sex education material, finally doing away with secret sex education lessons. But muddying the waters around teaching on gender identity is the last thing we need right now.”
