Should children have sex adn relationship education in school?

All children need to learn about sexual consent – it's their right

So says this author, as a response to the governments decision to reject this idea, on the heels of recent reports of the number of sexual assault on people below 16 years.

"The government has announced that it will not make sex and relationships education (SRE) compulsory in all schools, flying in the face of advice from experts and pleas from teachers , pupils and parents alike."

"But perhaps what is most significant of all is that the decision to reject compulsory SRE came in the very same week that new figures were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing that, in the 12 months to March last year, 30% of female rape victims were aged under 16, a quarter were 14 or younger and nearly 10% were nine years old or younger."

" Failing to educate young people about sexual consent and healthy relationships means that those who experience such crimes at a young age are often left bewildered, afraid, ashamed and unsure of where or how to report what has happened."

"But, most of all, it fails every child who has a human right to learn about sexual consent and their rights to their own body. What lesson could possibly be more important than that?"

Is she right??

Well, speaking from experience I can tell you that teaching a straight abstinence curriculum has led to one of the highest STD rates among teenagers in the nation in our area.

Personally I believe there should be a general civics or society class (call it what we will) to educate children as their rights and responsibilties and prepare them for adulthood and to be good citizens. Sex education would be a part of this.

I'm in two minds however whether this should be a government or local government issue. If I were american and knowing how much the federal government intrudes on the states I would oppose a federal law but support a state law.

I wonder why this post is in philosophy and religion not politics.

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Originally Posted by TheDeSade

Well, speaking from experience I can tell you that teaching a straight abstinence curriculum has led to one of the highest STD rates among teenagers in the nation in our area.

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In the UK abstinence is not taught, but neither is anything else. Education is the thing.

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Originally Posted by Denzark

Personally I believe there should be a general civics or society class (call it what we will) to educate children as their rights and responsibilties and prepare them for adulthood and to be good citizens. Sex education would be a part of this.

I'm in two minds however whether this should be a government or local government issue. If I were american and knowing how much the federal government intrudes on the states I would oppose a federal law but support a state law.

I wonder why this post is in philosophy and religion not politics.

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I guess because much of the argument against was religious.

Personally I have already started talking to my wee girl about these issues, we read 'where willy went' regularly and 'mummy laid an egg'.
Both entirely age appropriate and with just enough information to stem her naturally and normal curiousity about it, but not too much to freak her out.

I have had other parents utterly horrified that I speak to her about this stuff, but I would rather she learns about stuff like this from me, and feels able to ask me about anything.

So to a certain extent I think there is a responsibility on parents to educate there children, in addition however I think that sex education is an essential part of a general education and really like Denzarks idea of it being part of a broader 'society class'.

The sex education I received at the all girls school I attended was dismal, a single day where we got to,pass around a weird wooden phallus, and then spent half the day shouting NO! and punching pillows. it left me prepared to identify mahogany dildo's, and to defend myself from random items of bedding should they attack.

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Originally Posted by iseult

we read 'where willy went' regularly ..................... The sex education I received at the all girls school I attended was dismal,

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Are you saying you never got to the read "What does a willy taste like" and the books for the senior classes.

lol.

were willy went is much more innocent than it sounds.

Willy is a little sperm in sperm school who beats all his spermy mates to win the big race to the egg....etc etc you get the idea.

My applause to issie for her forethought and insight to be upfront with the education of her daughter. I raised my kids much the same way. We were open and matter of fact about many issues of life including sex. We didn't try to dodge the issue, we met questions head on with factual information and we tried, sometimes no to successfully, not to preach. I think we did pretty good. I have three successful well adjusted adult children who were, for the most part, a joy to raise. On the downside, they turned out to be outspoken, opinionated, free thinking individuals who don't, in many ways, conform to the popular culture norm. I think we did good. My take is you tell the truth, you raise kids in a way that encourages them to make good decisions, and you allow them to ask questions without fear of being ridiculed or intimidated and you will have built the foundation for teens and adults who make much better decisions.