Church warns education guidelines will ‘prematurely sexualise young minds’
A ROW over sex education has broken out on a Sabbatarian island in the Outer Hebrides with warnings from church leaders that pupils may be withdrawn from classes.
The Church of Scotland Presbytery of Lewis has written to Western Isles Council over the teaching of Relationship, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) because it will “confuse and prematurely sexualise young minds”.
It says that while the removal of homophobic and transphobic bullying from schools is “an aspiration Presbytery fully supports, there is the very real danger that it will be replaced by heterophobic and faithophobic bullying against those who are unable to ‘embrace’ an ideology that goes against their conscience, morality, and/or faith position”.
The Church adds it has been approached by a large number of parents and teachers who are “gravely concerned” about the content of the materials which the council intends to introduce in response to government guidance.
Lewis Presbytery is opposed to the use of rshp.org materials as the default resource in the teaching.
The letter says: “The Presbytery of
Lewis, Church of Scotland has been approached by a large number of parents and teachers who are gravely concerned about the content of the Relationship, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) materials which the council intends to introduce.
“The introduction of this resource by the council is in response to Scottish Government guidance. We have considered the matter extensively and objectively as a Presbytery.”
The letter goes on to say: “While the removal of homophobic and transphobic bullying from schools is an aspiration Presbytery fully supports, there is the very real danger that it will be replaced by heterophobic and faithophobic bullying against those who are unable to ‘embrace’ an ideology that goes against their conscience, morality, and/or faith position. Pupil withdrawal from such classes will, therefore, be more likely.”
It then states: “Lewis Presbytery seeks to work collaboratively with the comhairle (council) for the wellbeing of all children and young people in the Western Isles and pledges to support elected members and staff in prayer. It acknowledges the comhairle’s nationally recognised work in relation to educational innovation . . . and urges an equally innovative and dynamic educational innovation in the area of RSHP resources.
“Other RSHP materials exist which satisfy Education Scotland and can be tailored to our island culture and the Presbytery pledges to support the Comhairle in this endeavour.”
A Western Isles Council spokesman said it had received the letter and would respond to the concerns raised in due course. He added: “We are still in a consultation process on this and we welcome all contributions. This will be considered along with all other representations.”