Sex lessons for five-year-olds 'should be compulsory'

the gaurdian ^ | 7.12.03 | John Carvel

[freepatriot32]

Compulsory sex education for five-year-olds will be demanded today by government advisers on teenage pregnancy, as an essential step towards halving the under-18 concep tion rate by 2010.

The teaching of sex and relationships in primary schools is not progressing fast enough to prepare children for the earlier onset of puberty, the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy will warn ministers in its annual report.

The advisers have been encouraged by a 10% reduction in the teenage conception rate since 1998, and they attribute part of this improvement to more confident teaching of personal, social and health education (PSHE) in secondary schools.

But the government-appointed group is expected to say: "We are disappointed this new confidence is not reflected in primary schools."

It will call for PSHE to be made part of the statutory curriculum at all key stages of education from five to 16, with regular checks by Ofsted, the schools inspectorate, on the competence of teaching.

Under the current rules, most state schools provide PSHE, but only the study of citizenship in secondary schools is compulsory. Ofsted reports on the emotional, spiritual and moral development of pupils, but there has been no thorough study of sex and relationship education.

Gill Frances, deputy chairwoman of the advisory group, said: "We know this is not properly assessed across all schools." But it was important to start education about sex and relationships in the early years at primary school.

Encouraging children to start talking about feelings and relationships developed emotional skills that helped them to avoid teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection and drug taking, she said.

The advisory group will ask ministers to give statutory force to sex education guidelines prepared by Ofsted. They say pupils by the age of seven should be able to compare the external parts of the human body, share their feelings and use simple rules for resisting pressure from strangers.

By 11 they should be able to express opinions about relationships and bullying, recognise their changing emotions, discuss moral questions and know how to resist unwanted physical contact.

They should understand the physical changes that take place in puberty, the need for love in stable relationships and the safe routines needed to avoid the spread of viruses including HIV.

Ms Frances said the report would advise ministers to leave schools some discretion over the pace of the sex curriculum: "There is no point in pushing schools to do more than parents and the local community can stand."

The advisory group is expected to call on the government to do more to change the behaviour of hard-to-reach groups.

Proposals include a national information campaign targeted at boys and young men, particularly from black and ethnic minorities, and an advert to ensure under-16s know they have the same rights to confidentiality as adults when they seek advice.

[freepatriot32]

its amazing what the british educrats will propose when they know they are no longer in danger of being shot by the parents isnt it

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[livius]

an advert to ensure under-16s know they have the same rights to confidentiality as adults when they seek advice.

Or abortions, or treatment for STDs, or whatever, so long as it relates to the Planned Parenthood sexual agenda. However, I assume that in Britain as in the US, a minor can not even be given an aspirin in school without parental consent.

[Libertina]

The onset of puberty is faster because liberals push it. These poor kids have no chance of a free childhood. The fast & loose messages swirl around them with no let up. TV, radio, "fashion"... Society has taken their childhood away. It didn't just "happen." IMHO

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[mvpel]

You assume correctly. A kid and his parents were hassled because the kid dared to take a Flintstones vitamin with his lunch.

[auntdot]

"Teach, does that mean Santa uses a rubber?"

"And the Easter Bunny does EEEooooo!"

"I don't want the Tooth Fairy putting a hand that does that under my pillow."

The results of sex education in kindergarten.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The onset of puberty is faster because liberals push it.

I thought that was the function of the biological clock, and hormones.

[eleni121]

The sadistic premature sexualization of children pushed through by these sick and twisted social engineers means that pedophiles will be able to say that the children seduced them!

[Libertina]

Physically speaking yes, but the "interest" and "knowledge" level has been drmatically pushed & increased by the liberal activist agenda.

[AnnaZ]

Good thing this isn't happening here. (Yet.) Otherwise this would probably have to be done over my dead or imprisoned body. (My heart nearly raced as I read it... 5?!)

[Salman]

Interesting. According to my mother, my father taught me the basic "facts of life" when I was four, apparently because I started asking questions when my mother was pregnant. I don't actually remember this, so I have "always" known.

I don't think this is a bad thing. But compulsory!!!??? Taught by some state paid Sergeant Schultz? No thanks.

Not to mention that these days the "facts of life" must include the facts of sodomy, or else you're a Nazi.

[Ohioan]

The onset of puberty is faster because liberals push it.

While one may suspect that changes in diet may have an effect on maturation rates--and so, perhaps, even psychological factors--it is likely that the major change in Britain reflects not a biological speed up, but a demographic change. Many of the non-Caucasian racial groups have earlier maturation than Caucasian racial groups. I believe that there is also a division among Caucasians, themselves, with an earlier maturation in the eastern branches--as those from India and Pakistan--than among nordic and alpine branches, etc..

While it has become the fashion in our ridiculous centers of "higher" education, to pretend that race is only a matter of skin pigment; that is, of course, one of the Big Lies that the Left employs to attack traditional societies. But there is absolutely no truth to the notion that we are all the same. And that lie serves merely to confuse people's sense of identity. It is not, of course, just aimed at one particular group. It is intended to undermine all of us in any identification with ought but an undifferentiated humanity in need of central direction. It is a Socialist ploy, and has never been anything else.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[Zipporah]

The reduction of pregnancy and disease is NOT the purpose of sex education.

[Zipporah]

What makes you think this isn't happening here? It is.

[Justa]

I agree. The only rationale in teaching 5-year olds sexual awareness is so pedophiles can prey upon them.

[AppyPappy]

My wife teaches preschool. One of the parents came in with a concern. The parent said their daughter told them that in order to play in the jumping castle (one of those inflatable jumping arenas), all the kids had to take off their clothes and the boys and girls had to be separated because the boys would "beat the girls with their penises".

They are European, of course.

[AnnaZ]

One can still opt out here... if not out of the class, then out of the system.

[breakem]

I'm startinf a new business. Making sex ed tapes for babies. mothers can play the tapes in the nursery and it will prevent their child from becoming pregnant for 12 years or so. Need funding and suggestions for marketing.

[TLI]

Proposals include a national information campaign targeted at boys and young men, particularly from black and ethnic minorities...

Targeting Minorities? Why, is that not racists? Why in the world would out highly sophisticated and educated all-united European fellow world citizens believe it is necessary to target minority groups?