Parents should be able to withdraw children from sex education classes

PARENTS should have the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons, according to a proBrexit MS.

On Tuesday Caroline Jones proposed an amendment to a Bill that introduces a new curriculum for Welsh schools regretting “that the Bill does not provide parents the right to withdraw their children from relationships and sexuality education (RSE)”.

Ms Jones, who was originally elected as a Ukip AM for South Wales West, now represents the Independent Alliance for Reform.

She said: “I have been contacted by a number of parents who are unhappy that their ability to withdraw their children from sex education classes appears to have been lost in some schools already. I know that some take the view that sex education is best left to the family.”

Ms Jones said she was concerned by allegations that some primary school children as young as four in England were being taught about masturbation.

“I really think that’s far too young and shouldn’t be happening,” she said. “I’ve also heard from a parent who told me that her 11-year-old son, who has a mental age of eight, came home and said his class had been taught about pornography.”

A number of individuals opposed to sex education in schools made submissions to a public consultation on the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill, which was due to be debated in the Senedd on Tuesday.

In them, they claimed that parents’ rights were being infringed.

A group called Public Child Protection Wales was planning to demonstrate outside the Senedd in advance of the debate.

The Welsh Government defends its right to insist that children should attend sex education lessons.

In her evidence to the Senedd’s Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Education Minister Kirsty Williams said that a code would be introduced governing hosw sex education should be delivered.

She said: “Given sensitivities around RSE, I can imagine that code will have a great level of interest. Indeed, that’s one of the reasons why we have decided to proceed with the code for relationships and sexuality education, because of the sensitive nature of the content of that part of the curriculum.”