Sex education must instil value of celibacy, says Church
PUPILS should be taught about the value of abstinence and celibacy as part of sex education lessons, the Church of England has said.
In its submission to the Government’s overhaul of sex and relationships education it said lessons in its schools would focus on “the Christian understanding of marriage as the context for sexual relationships”. In a blog, the Rev Nigel Genders, the Church’s chief education officer, said that students should be taught about “healthy relationships and lifestyle choices”.
He said that in Church schools, the subject would be “rooted in the teachings of the Church”, including “the importance of trust, loyalty, fidelity”, “as well as the understanding of abstinence and celibacy as positive life choices”.
Mr Genders added: “Children want to be prepared for the opportunities, joys, challenges and responsibilities of being in relationships with other people.
“RSE [relationship and sex education] must provide the understanding, vocabulary and strategies children need to keep themselves safe and to thrive within good relationships of all kinds.
“It should give children accurate information to equip them for life in the modern world and make sure they are not harmed or negatively influenced by unrealistic or dangerous materials and expectations. Our desire is for young people to flourish and to gain every opportunity to live fulfilled lives and RSE should teach about healthy relationships and lifestyle choices.
“Schools will be encouraged to reflect their own ethos and values whilst being sensitive to the needs of the community, including the context of belief, faith, religion and culture.”
The response also raised concerns that “unacceptable material” could be studied by children whose parents withdraw them from the classes. “The DFE must make it clear who is responsible for the supervision of withdrawn pupils and who is responsible for providing alternative work,” it added.
“If alternative work is to be set by parents or carers, accessible and comprehensive guidelines on what is acceptable to set must be issued.
“In RE we have had issues where pupils have been found to be studying inappropriate material sent in by parents. The potential for unacceptable material set as an alternative sex education programme is a real concern.”
The document also warned that rows with parents who want their children to withdraw from sex education could end up in court.
The government consultation, which closed last month, was launched following concerns that sex and relationships teaching in schools was outdated and did not cover issues such as the sending of sex text messages as well as the risks posed by the internet.