Teachers should include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual role-plays in their teaching of sexual health, according to new sex education guidance.
The non-binding advice has been drawn up by groups that want to make sex and relationship education (SRE) compulsory.
A pro-family group criticised the guidance, saying it “reflects the agenda of a group of organisations at one end of a very broad spectrum of opinion on sex education and has no official status”.
Role-play
In a bid to make SRE “inclusive”, the guidance says teachers should “never assume that all intimate relationships are between opposite sexes”.
“All sexual health information should be inclusive and should include LGBT people in case studies, scenarios and role-plays.
“Boys and girls can explore topics from a different gender’s point of view, and a variety of activities – including practical tasks, discussions, group activities and competitions – can provide something for everyone.”
‘Non-judgmental’
The guidance does, however, criticise pornography, saying it “does not reflect real life” and that such images “must never be shown to pupils”.
It recommends that young people who think they may be addicted to pornography speak to a “trusted, non-judgmental adult”.
The guidance was drawn up by the Sex Education Forum and the PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) Association alongside Brook – a sexual health charity.
Moral
The Family Education Trust said the guidance lacked reference to morality, marriage, or family life and commented that it is “devoid of a coherent moral framework”.
Director of the Trust, Norman Wells, said that while the prevalence of pornography “presents enormous challenges”, the document’s approach “is bound to do more harm than good”.
“As a guide for schools designed to protect pupils and promote optimal sexual health, this advice is simply not fit for purpose”, he commented.
Sideline
The Sex Education Forum and Brook have both said sex education should be made statutory, while the PSHE Association have backed a Telegraph campaign for ‘modernisation’.
Last year The Christian Institute criticised the groups supporting the campaign, saying some of them “have a track record of pushing a liberal agenda and sidelining parents”.