Parents challenge promotion of gender ideology in RoI schools

School pupils should not be exposed to the controversial belief in ‘gender identities’, parents in the Republic of Ireland have said.

In consultation responses for the draft Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum for 12 to 15-year-olds, strong objections were raised by parents about content that denied the reality of biological sex.

The Irish Government-backed document teaches that ‘gender identity’ is a “core” part of what it means to be human, and that it “may or may not” correspond with ‘sex assigned at birth’.

‘Highly contested’

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), which carried out the consultation, acknowledged that some parents had “expressed strong criticism” of the proposals, and said the most common cause of concern related to “references to gender identities”.

The NCCA findings stated that a number of parents had “pointed out that gender identity is a highly contested and sensitive topic”.

And they added: “Some assert that this topic should not be included in the curriculum, as they hold the view that it may lead to questioning, confusion and even harm for some adolescents”.

Biological sex

The report continued: “A further commonly expressed view was that the NCCA is seeking to promote ‘gender ideology’ by refusing to acknowledge the binary nature of gender.

refusing to acknowledge the binary nature of gender

“These respondents are strongly of the view that we are born as either male or female and that sex is binary and immutable.”

Some parents told the NCCA of their intention to “withdraw their child from all SPHE classes, in the event of the updated specification being implemented”.

The new material will provide 100 hours of SPHE teaching over three years and is due to be implemented from the start of the next school year.