Posted on 07/12/2003 1:24:36 PM PDT by 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.
All of their other liberal claptrap has worked so well to reduce the conception rate, is that correct?
This statement leads one to wonder what the other "essential" steps will be to make this happen.
Will it be compulsory Christian education and the teaching of the Ten Commandments (fat chance!)? Will it be separating the sexes in school through age 18? How about encouraging sex between same-sex partners instead of with the opposite sex (no pregnancies there)? How about automatic abortions for all under 18?
There are all kinds of possibilities for these meddlers to explore. I'm sure they'll continue to work the problem (and collect their bloated paychecks).
Meanwhile, let's line up the unprotesting 5 year olds for their classes on sex from A to Z instead of letting them chase each other on the playground.
Sick!... no, strike that,... EVIL!!
You are right. We have had to give our kids warnings, that they shouldn't need for another 5 years.
I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing for young children to learn a little about the facts of life, either. Young children growing up around barnyard animals have been learning about sex for millennia now.
On the other hand, I don't want a liberal teaching a four year old that if it feels good, do it.
That's right--let the parents teach 'em. After all, incest is only relative. Right? lol I agree with you about how ludicrous this is--this entire thing is to throw away all inhibitions.
I am accused of being a libertine sometimes(and I have been somewhat wild, except absolutely no drugs), but the older I get, the more I think maybe my grandparents were right when they predicted what the "sexual revolution", if not Rock 'n Roll, leads to. Is there ANY point where a line will be drawn?
Agree with you. . .Liberal indoctrination; Liberal culture is undermining every aspect of 'society'. . .
No question that Liberals are first the sickness and then the cure. . .
Only Reason can stop the madness, but the Libs are destroying Reason's possibilities as well.
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