Sex ed row fight goes to High Court
CAMPAIGNERS against Wales’ new relationships and sexuality education (RSE) curriculum are set to have their legal challenge heard in the High Court today.
Five claimants representing parents and grandparents in Wales are taking the Welsh Government to the High Court in an attempt to remove its new RSE from the mandatory part of Wales’ curriculum.
Campaigners Public Child Protection Wales (PCPW) are among the claimants and say the mandatory element of RSE, which began being rolled out in Welsh schools in September, means children as young as three will be taught about topics such as gender ideology, while parents are denied the right to remove their child from sex education.
The Welsh Government has denied these claims, saying children “will only learn topics that are appropriate to their age and development” and that the RSE curriculum would keep them safe, aid understanding of relationships, and help reduce bullying. The High Court in Cardiff will hear the judicial review today and tomorrow, after a High Court judge granted the review earlier this year. A bid by parents to stop the curriculum being introduced this term was rejected in September after a judge said an injunction would cause “very substantial disruption” days before the start of term.
PCPW spokesperson Lucia Thomas said campaigners were not opposed to sex education in schools but disagreed with the content of the new RSE curriculum and stopping parents from being allowed to remove their children from these lessons. “We believe there is a serious safeguarding issue with RSE,” she said, adding that the group felt the curriculum would overly sexualise children. “RSE is based on comprehensive education and the promotion of sexual lifestyles and promiscuity. We know there has always been sex education but parents have always been allowed to take their children out of they weren’t happy.”
Earlier this year Education Minister Jeremy Miles said PCPW’s claims had “absolutely no basis in truth and that its claims that Wales’ RSE was part of a coordinated “global rollout” of “comprehensive sexuality education” was “profoundly wrong and a deeply dangerous claim”. He said younger learners will be taught about friendships and families and will “absolutely not be taught about romantic or sexual relationships” which he said were prohibited by the RSE Code.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “Learners will only learn topics that are appropriate to their age and development. At a younger age, for example, children will be taught about treating each other with kindness and empathy. As they grow older they will gain an understanding of topics such as online safety, consent, and sexual health – all of which will be handled in a sensitive way.
“This is about ensuring the best outcomes for all learners and their communities: to protect them and keep them safe. Evidence shows RSE can, for example, help learners’ understanding and participation in healthy relationships of all kinds, reduce all forms of bullying, as well as supporting learners to recognise and seek support for abusive or unhealthy relationships.
“Since 2018 the RSE Code has been through full and wide-ranging consultation and the appropriate legislative procedure in the Senedd.
“These reforms have been welcomed by a number of respected organisations including the NSPCC, the Children’s Commissioner’s Office, and Welsh Women’s Aid.”