Sex education book for elementary school students sparks controversy in China
BEIJING: A sex education textbook for second graders has sparked controversy in China over illustrations of reproductive organs and discussions about sexual abuse, with some parents arguing the content is too graphic for elementary school students.
The book’s publisher insisted that the material, intended for use in grades 1 to 5 in elementary and primary schools which usually have children aged six to 10, was included following careful scrutiny by experts.
China’s attitude towards sex education is conservative and it is only recently that the topic has been introduced in schools.
For one Hangzhou-based parent, the book at the centre of the controversy has taken it too far.
The mother of a child identified by only her Weibo (China’s Twitter) username posted her comments and photos from the text online, sparking the debate. “Textbook featured not only illustrations of the reproductive organs and of two people having sex, but also portrayed discussions about sexual harassment,” she said.
“She posted a picture of a chapter that teaches children how to protect themselves from sexual abuse. The picture shows a woman asking to see a boy’s genitals. The woman claimed the picture was too much for her to handle, let alone her child,” the government-run China News Agency reported.
“The picture showing the mating process of men and women is absolutely unacceptable!,” another user @MaoerniuFnTamintr was quoted as saying. The Beijing Normal University Publishing Group told CNS that given the topic, the content was examined carefully.
Some parents, however, spoke out in support of the book. One Weibo user, @yuansuiyuewukehuitou, said, “Instead of avoiding telling children about it, what we should do is to help improve their understanding about sex so that they can better protect themselves.”