Sex education in UK schools but not as we knew it!

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/

this group is concerned about these issues.

Agreed, CMD.

It's not easy to get a balanced view from UK media, but sticking to any one paper is absolutely not the way to do it.

My apologies for atrocious spelling there, I'm using a new phone with a tiny screen!

You raise some interesting points DoodleDog, most of which I agree with. It's always assumed that by stating that one only reads the Times, or the Guardian etc, that one will be thought of as erudite or well read when in fact, it does the complete opposite. Relying only on one source of news publication for your information leads to a very slanted, one dimensional view of the world andmwhatnis happening in it. Inevitably, you will only see the news that is geared to your personal bias. And confirmation bias, in whichever direction that is, is extremely limiting and simply provides the information you were expecting to hear. It provides no challenges to ones pre conceived opinions which, I suppose, suits some people or personality types but doesn't demonstrate an openness to new ideas or critical thinking.

Oh, I agree that sexuality should be discussed, but not so-galled gender, which has nothing to do with sex or sexuality. In fact, a lot of children who go in for transitioning turn out to be gay and want to detransition when they come to terms with that. It can be confusing enough for them without bringing 'gender' into the mix.

I have no real issue with properly qualified teachers/counsellors talking to children about gender confusion, as it does seem to be endemic; but I don't think it should form part of sex education classes, as it is nothing to do with sex. Homosexuality is different, as that is about sex and sexuality.

I read a cross-section of newspapers online. They almost all charge now, though. If I took a paper regularly, it would be the Guardian, but I agree it’s too limiting to read just one.

Sex education - I don’t see why children of secondary school age shouldn’t learn about some of the more unusual aspects, because sex isn’t a simple thing for most people. Surely they should be taught about homosexuality? No need to go into the mechanics (which are variable anyway), but they need to know it is normal to have homosexual feelings. A lot of misery was caused in the past by teaching it was wrong and abnormal. In any case, they will find out for themselves, possibly inaccurately.

To be fair, when newspapers report on articles from the BMJ etc they all take the spin that will appeal to their readers. This came up recently in a thread about myelin development in children. The article quoted concentrated on mothers talking to babies, as it was in a popular newspaper or magazine, not an academic journal. People were up in arms about the waste of money they thought was being spent on academics 'discovering' that talking to babies was a good idea, when the focus of the research was not about that at all, but on the medical research into the production of the protein. The Mail is notorious for looking for scandalous or 'shocking' aspects of things, which is why a lot of people do take 'I read it in The Mail' as shorthand for 'it will be exaggerated and designed to anger its readers.

Having said all of that, as this has been reported elsewhere it suggests that there are grains of truth in it, and it seems to me inappropriate to teach children about masturbation techniques and anal sex, and I would have been furious if my children had been taught that there are more than two sexes, and that so-called 'gender' is an option from a pick and mix selection. None of that is about Biology, which is what should be taught at school. Maybe a discussion of sexuality has its place in a PSE class or similar, but so-called 'gender' is a matter of opinion, not a reality, so IMO should be kept out of schools, and I can only imagine the horror of having to teach about anal sex and masturbation techniques to 12 year olds . I can't see teachers queuing up to take those classes.

It is interesting that the government has done nothing about this, yet it is being reported in a Tory-based newspaper to make Tory supporters angry about it. My guess is that this will be to get them onside when the inevitable backlash against Labour's position on gender politics begins - it's about all the Tories have left to fight with. If Sunak really feels that his party has the right views on this subject he really needs to get on and do something - after all, they have been in power for 12 years and still have another year or more to go, yet apart from blocking the Scottish Gender Recognition Reforms they have done nothing to protect women and children from the spread of these dangerous views.

VioletSky

The Daily Mail has done so much harm to my friends, family . . .
Able to evidence that?

VioletSky

I only read The Guardian

😱 didn’t see that coming.

CheersMeDears

VS did change your mind when you found out it was the Times and the Telegraph as well? Attempted to save face a little? Never mind, we all make mistakes sometimes!

It always makes me laugh when some people get all sniffy and snobby about the DM. Whatever the topic they always get uppity.

What they fail to realise is that in most reports or articles they give their sources and it is often The British Medical Journal, the World Health Organisation, Cancer Research or other reliable sources. It’s not just the DM making stuff up.

I like The Guardian

How very limiting for a cross section of news, views and opinions that must be. Widening one's news sources would probably give you a broader outlook and help you not to make knee jerk responses on what others read.

I only read The Guardian

VS did change your mind when you found out it was the Times and the Telegraph as well? Attempted to save face a little? Never mind, we all make mistakes sometimes!

Freya5

Unless anal sex is being taught in a biology class, and I would sincerely hope not, any parent can remove their child from sex and relationships lessons. Why would you want to traumatise very young children by even talking about it.

Probably another inclusivity thing.
If you educate children on puberty and safe sex and condoms, there will be an outcry if a group is left out.
I agree about the potential for children being traumatised, and 12 is too young in my honest opinion partly because intercourse is illegal until 16 years old and also because children often share things they’ve found shocking with younger siblings.

Unless anal sex is being taught in a biology class, and I would sincerely hope not, any parent can remove their child from sex and relationships lessons. Why would you want to traumatise very young children by even talking about it.

No. In my honest opinion, a statement like that is not irony. Especially not when it’s accompanied by a statement like this.
The Daily Mail has done so much harm to my friends, family and society as a whole.
Unless that was ironic as well.

Germanshepherdsmum

Dear Lord, I trust VS was being ironic.

Yes

I don't actually care as long as they are doing a good job imparting the curriculum

Violetsky You cannot classify anyone by the papers they read. We read the Daily Mail because we disagree with its politics . DH is insistent that if we should read papers from both sides of the political spectrum and reality probably lies between the two.

and....https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/09/ofsted-chiefs-warning-explicit-sex-education-lessons/

all back in march.

What about The Times then. for those who think it's only in the dm..

Parents shocked by graphic sex education in school

The Times
www.thetimes.co.uk › article › sex-education-uk-s...
10 Mar 2023 — Another mother, on the Isle of Man, said her 12-year-old son, who lived a fairly sheltered life, had been traumatised by being taught about anal sex ....

Dear Lord, I trust VS was being ironic.

Germanshepherdsmum

Oh, no. Not another of these threads.

Oh yes . . . GSM and it will go the whole length, diversions etc.
Are we to believe that Mermaids and the Tavistock clinic and others who have done such harm all do that because they read the DM?
Or even that all teachers and obviously teaching assistants, who read the DM deserve the suggestion implied by VS.

The Daily Mail has done so much harm to my friends, family and society as a whole

I think I should have the right to know whether a teacher is a daily mail reader to know if my children are safe with them or not

It's the govt who dictate what Sex Ed is taught in school
www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education
Daily Mail is not a reliable source of info says Wikipedia
www.independent.co.uk/tech/wikipedia-editors-ban-daily-mail-source-citation-unreliable-mail-online-a7570856.html