A primary school’s decision to show pupils a controversial sex education video which was recently withdrawn from sale has prompted one governor to quit.
The Living and Growing DVD shows a cartoon couple chasing each other around a bedroom with a feather before having graphic sex.
The narrator describes the activity as “fun and exciting”.
Withdrawn
Last month it emerged that the contentious DVD, which is produced by Channel 4, had been removed from sale following criticism from parents and MPs.
Despite this Westbury Leigh Primary School in Wiltshire, which bought its copy before the withdrawal from sale, decided to show the footage to pupils.
The decision prompted one of the school’s governors, Keith Miller, to quit.
Young
Mr Miller, who served as a governor for twelve years, says he is not opposed to sex education in schools.
But he warns that Living and Growing shows “far too much to children at far too young an age”.
The 75-year-old added: “All the other governors approved of it being shown and it was suggested I might like to abstain when we voted, but I objected and they went ahead anyway.”
Porn
Parents at the school have also expressed concern over the film’s content.
Hayley Robinson, who refused to let her ten-year-old watch it, said: “In general I thought the film was age appropriate where it showed how children’s bodies change as they grow older.
“But other parts concerned me. I felt it was inappropriate for such young children and amounted to showing them porn, so I said I didn’t want my son to see it.”
Schools
Wiltshire Council has defended the school’s decision. A spokesperson said: “We don’t recommend resources to schools but do share details of those that are available.
“Individual schools select the resources that they feel best meet the needs of the pupils.”
The material was highlighted in a report on primary school sex education, “Too Much Too Young”, produced by The Christian Institute last year.
Earlier this year Schools Minister Nick Gibb ordered Channel 4 to tone down the video’s content.