Schools to teach pupils, 11, that porn isn’t like ‘real’ sex
CHILDREN as young as 11 could be given lessons on the differences between pornography and real-life sex under new guidelines.
Teachers using the controversial lesson plans will tell pupils that porn ‘looks real’ but is not – and that they ‘don’t have to watch it just because your friends are’.
Children may also be asked to evaluate whether statements apply to ‘porn sex’ or ‘real sex’.
Prostitution is covered, too, in the material – part of the Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) online resource, backed by the Scottish Government, NHS boards, local authorities and the quango Education Scotland.
The experts behind the lessons say they help keep young people ‘healthy happy and safe’ amid increasing exposure to pornography on phones and other devices.
The resource states: ‘It is estimated that at least one-third of young people starting secondary school will have viewed pornography – by the end of S2 over 95 per cent will have.’
It adds that many see it accidentally or are sent images by others.
As part of the lessons, staff should emphasise ‘that a young person doesn’t have to watch porn’.
The material stresses that ‘it is made up, it is a story, in this sense it is not real.’ But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘Teaching about it will provide a green light for children to investigate further and it is likely to be seen by some teenagers as “great for a laugh”.
‘This material is going to divide parental opinion.’
It comes after a drag queen called Flow’s visit to a primary school in Paisley, Renfrewshire, last month sparked fury from some parents.
The RSHP resource details the disturbing extent to which children are exposed to pornography through mobile devices.
Scottish Conservative education spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘Parents who have a concern should be able to be heard and monitor what their children are being taught on issues like this.’
Norman Wells of the Family Education Trust said: ‘Many parents will be deeply disturbed by the explicit nature of these lessons.
‘While young people have a natural curiosity about sex, schools need to take account of the fact not all curiosity is healthy and guard against feeding sexual desires by providing them with information that is unnecessary and unhelpful.’
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, on behalf of RSHP, said: ‘By using factually accurate terms in an ageappropriate way to educate children about their bodies, we aim to keep children safe.’