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Sex education should be compulsory for primary-school pupils, a cross-party group of MPs says today.
The group is urging the Government to make lessons on sexual health and relationships mandatory for young children, the intention being to reduce Britain’s high rates of teenage pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted disease. In apublic appeal, as ministers finalise a review of sex education provision, the MPs ask the Government to “guarantee appropriate sex and relationship education in every primary and secondary school by putting personal, social and health education on a statutory basis as part of the national curriculum.”
Under current regulations, children must be taught the biological facts of human reproduction, but there is no statutory requirement for schools to teach the social and emotional context of sexual behaviour.
In a letter inThe Daily Telegraph, the MPs, led by Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for Rhondda, say: “International evidence suggests that high-quality sex and relationship education that puts sex in its proper context, that starts early enough to make a difference and that gives youngsters the confidence and ability to make well-informed decision helps young people delay their first sexual experience and leads to lower teenage pregnancy levels.” The letter is also signed by charities including the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group.
Critics argue that sex education in primary schools runs the risk of sexualising young children. The campaign group the Family Education Trust said there was no evidence that teenage pregnancy rates would be cut by starting sex education at a very early age.
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It is ignorant to say that teaching kids about sex at a young age would increase teen pregnancy. Young kids already have a pretty clear notion of sex, but they get that from the media and from their peers, which doesn't provide them with all the information they truly need to make good choices.
Kelly, Washington, DC, USA
"Young children should be taught about sex, MPs say"
Rubbish!
The more sex "education" is pushed in schools, the more teenage pregnancies.
Leave young children alone! LEAVE PRIMARY SCHOOLS ALONE!
Robert, Hull, UK
Lazy, naive parents too embarassed to teach their children about real life so it apparently must fall to the semi-competent education system?
Those who are taught about sex young are less likely to catch sexual diseases and become pregnant.
UK has a very high teen pregnancy rate,I wonder why?!
Kazuki, London, United Kingdom
YesYes, and so far yours and our governments have done a wonderful job teaching your children not only math, but also about relationships, morals and sex. Let us applaud the governments for the fine job they have done so far! Dead kids in Goa. Lord help us if we let them do anymore harm to our kids.
William, Atlanta, USA
As a teacher covering for a sex education lesson, where an outside agency came in especially for that one time, I was surprised that that agency only promoted knowledge of such things like the speed at which sperm is ejected etc, nothing at all on the primacy of the context of loving relationship!
andrew walters, London,
the English /British are sexual cripples when it comes to sex and nuditywhich go together, oddly, in our minds. country children need no sex education, they see animals having sex and think nothing of it they do not see sex as tittillation, nor should anyone
peter c, Devizes, Wessex
These are not your children - they belong to the state. You think this evil gov does not know what it's doing? Wake up, because we're in a lot of trouble here. They will not stop untill made to - voting changes nothing.
Dan, London, UK
joe, Edinburgh, Scotland
Teach morality in Britain? Sorry but that's absolutely laughable. Just watch the behaviour in any town centre on a Saturday night and it will tell you how much young people know about morality. Besides which those teaching often have no morality so how can they teach it?
judy, Liverpool, England
Why are we teaching an aspect of human behaviour to small children who are clearly not ready to engage in it? In any case, it would be illegal for a small child to be implicated in any way with adult sexual behaviour. You wouldn't teach a 5 year old child to drive a car would you?
elizabeth, London, UK
I am working in China where sexual activity in youngsters is not very common and the majority of girls are virgins when they get married. Children are taught to respect themselves and given a moral education that means they do not feel that having sex at 14 is right. Teach that in the UK.
joe, Edinburgh, Scotland
Two simple questions:
1--Should children be taught "social and emotional context of sexual behaviour" without any reference to moral values?
2--If they are to be taught sexual behavior with moral values, WHOSE moral values will be taught? Ofsted's? Parents? the local Council's? the Dcsf's?
Bob Evans, Anaheim, California