Council votes against controversial sex ed material

The Western Isles Council has overwhelmingly voted not to adopt controversial sex education materials produced by the Scottish Government.

The Church of Scotland Presbytery of Lewis had warned the council that the Relationship, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) materials would “confuse and prematurely sexualise young minds”.

Councillors voted by 23 to 4 to reject the promotion and recommendation of the materials, with alternatives identified to be used instead.

‘Danger’

Councillor Calum Maclean said that some of the resources within the Scottish Government’s materials are “most inappropriate for teaching in our schools and a significant number of parents, carers, faith groups and staff voiced their concerns to us”.

The Church of Scotland Presbytery of Lewis had told the council that while it agrees with eradicating bullying in schools on the basis of ‘gender identity’ and sexual orientation, there is a “very real danger” of bullying “against those who are unable to ’embrace’ an ideology that goes against their morality, and/or faith position”.

It said that if the controversial material had been implemented, parents would have been more likely to withdraw their children from RSHP classes.

Explicit

In Wales, Education Minister Kirsty Williams is proposing to scrap all existing legal safeguards for the teaching of sex education.

Her Curriculum and Assessment Bill abolishes safeguards in the Education Act 1996 and puts nothing in their place.

Earlier this year, parents in England were warned that an explicit sex education resource is being used in secondary schools which teaches teens about sex acts by using “body parts dice”.

The ‘Sexuality aGender v2’ resource for teachers features a range of graphic lesson plans and activities including a “genital gallery”, an “identity search puzzle” and a page where young people are invited to customise genitals with glasses, bow ties and badges.