The UK government has imposed age limits on teaching sex education to young children, and gender ideology will be banned in schools. The Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) program will be introduced to children at age nine, and will be “appropriately and sensitively” taught.A news release from the Department for Education and signed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, states the goal of the limitations is so “children will be protected from inappropriate teaching on sensitive topics.”The department, having received “multiple reports of disturbing materials” being used to teach RSHE, has also published new guidelines to “ensure content is factual, appropriate and that children have the capacity to fully understand everything they are being taught.”There will be full transparency with parents under the new guidelines. There should be no “barrier” to disclosing curriculum materials to parents, including copyright laws,” the new policy states. “Parents will have the right to see the resources that are being used to teach their children about relationships, health and sex in all circumstances and new age limits will be introduced so that children are not introduced to content they may not have the maturity to understand.”Sex education will only be taught from Year 5 (Grade 5), and “at that point from a purely scientific standpoint.”“The contested theory of gender identity will not be taught,” wrote officials. In high school, students will learn “legally ‘protected’ characteristics, such as sexual orientation and gender reassignment, but the updated guidance is clear that schools should not teach about the concept of gender identity.”The updated Department of Education guidelines follows a groundbreaking report called the Cass Review, which found after a five-year study there is no real evidence for trans medical interventions. Educators may not “use any materials that present contested views as fact, including the view that gender is a spectrum.”“This is in line with the Department’s gender questioning guidance, which also takes a cautious approach to assist teachers in ensuring they are acting in the best interests of children.”“Parents rightly trust that when they send their children to school, they are kept safe and will not be exposed to disturbing content that is inappropriate for their age,” said Sunak. “That’s why I was horrified to hear reports of this happening in our classrooms last year.”“I will always act swiftly to protect our children and this new guidance will do exactly that, while supporting teachers to teach these important topics sensitively and giving parents access to curriculum content if they wish.”
The UK government has imposed age limits on teaching sex education to young children, and gender ideology will be banned in schools. The Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) program will be introduced to children at age nine, and will be “appropriately and sensitively” taught.A news release from the Department for Education and signed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, states the goal of the limitations is so “children will be protected from inappropriate teaching on sensitive topics.”The department, having received “multiple reports of disturbing materials” being used to teach RSHE, has also published new guidelines to “ensure content is factual, appropriate and that children have the capacity to fully understand everything they are being taught.”There will be full transparency with parents under the new guidelines. There should be no “barrier” to disclosing curriculum materials to parents, including copyright laws,” the new policy states. “Parents will have the right to see the resources that are being used to teach their children about relationships, health and sex in all circumstances and new age limits will be introduced so that children are not introduced to content they may not have the maturity to understand.”Sex education will only be taught from Year 5 (Grade 5), and “at that point from a purely scientific standpoint.”“The contested theory of gender identity will not be taught,” wrote officials. In high school, students will learn “legally ‘protected’ characteristics, such as sexual orientation and gender reassignment, but the updated guidance is clear that schools should not teach about the concept of gender identity.”The updated Department of Education guidelines follows a groundbreaking report called the Cass Review, which found after a five-year study there is no real evidence for trans medical interventions. Educators may not “use any materials that present contested views as fact, including the view that gender is a spectrum.”“This is in line with the Department’s gender questioning guidance, which also takes a cautious approach to assist teachers in ensuring they are acting in the best interests of children.”“Parents rightly trust that when they send their children to school, they are kept safe and will not be exposed to disturbing content that is inappropriate for their age,” said Sunak. “That’s why I was horrified to hear reports of this happening in our classrooms last year.”“I will always act swiftly to protect our children and this new guidance will do exactly that, while supporting teachers to teach these important topics sensitively and giving parents access to curriculum content if they wish.”
