Part 1 of this three-part series considered the wider issues around what education is for, and the factors affecting our ability to impact on policies. The prevailing climate in the US and the UK was presented. Part 2 considers the position in Northern Ireland (NI), presents a summary of the WHO’s guidance which appears to be driving policy, and sets out the position of parents, churches, and teachers.
The Department of Education guidance states that education for ‘all children and young people should be provided in an inclusive environment that is nurtured within the whole community. This environment should be positively welcoming to all, whatever their identity [emphasis added]’. It goes on to say that schools should ‘increase the visibility of transgender young people by supporting pupils in setting up a Gender and Sexual Orientation Alliance or introducing transgender role models’.
In NI, the Department of Education commissions the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment Council (CCEA) to write guidance which is then used by schools. Its commissioning letter directed the Council to:
- Review and/or develop resources to support teachers, e.g., contraception, puberty, teenage pregnancy, consent, abortion, domestic violence, sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, LGBTQ+, sexual identity, and gender identity.
- Develop RSE resources to include age-appropriate, comprehensive, and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion.
Following on from that, how will the Inspectorate, often the drivers of Government policy, since a school’s reputation and hence its capacity to survive depends on a good inspection report, interpret these related indicators contained in the new Framework for Inspection?
- ‘Provision for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) includes age and stage appropriate content and scientifically accurate information’.
- ‘Leaders value and promote an inclusive ethos, embrace diversity’.
A similar curriculum review to the English one is being undertaken in NI and, bearing in mind that NI parallels English provision to ensure portability of its qualifications, it is very concerning to see the apparent prioritisation of the diversity agenda and the centrality of these issues especially given the continued deterioration in the standards of reading and numeracy across the UK.
As a justification for introducing the changes to the RSE curriculum, officials state that existing provision is ‘unfit for purpose'. That leads to two fundamental questions: what are the stated purposes and what evidence is there that these programmes meet those purposes?
The Secretary of State, in announcing the amended regulations, stated that the purpose was to end unwanted pregnancies by ensuring the implementation of the CEDAW recommendation ‘to make age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights covering contraception and access to abortion a compulsory component of the curriculum in grant-aided schools in NI ’-but see later. The Secretary of State cites compliance with the CEDAW report; a summary of its eight main recommendations is available here and here, in which it makes its position on ‘diverse genders’ clear in point 6 of the latter.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) guidance on sex education which appears to be determining the direction of international travel is set out in its publications entitled “Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe: a Framework for Policy Makers, Educational and Health Authorities and Specialists“ and “International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education: an Evidence-informed Approach“ and has hitherto been used as a primary source of information for those responsible for preparing guidance. A brief summary follows.
The WHO’s approach to sexuality is summed up by this statement: ‘A child is understood to be a sexual being from the beginning [emphasis added]’. The basis for this is explained in the section entitled ‘Psychosexual Development of Children’ and argues the need for an early start of sexuality education. Psychology, especially developmental psychology, they claim, purports to show that children are born as sexual beings. This approach is then transferred into education, school, and the classroom via the guidelines offered to teachers. The guidance given for ages 6–9 recommends a curriculum content which includes:
- Sexual intercourse, gender orientation, and sexual behaviour of young people.
- Enjoyment and pleasure when touching one’s own body (masturbation/self-stimulation and orgasm).
For ages 9–12, the curriculum content includes:
- How to enjoy sexuality in an appropriate way.
- First sexual experience.
- Pleasure, masturbation, and orgasm.
The International Technical Guidance’s learning objectives for 5- to 8-year-olds state that learners will be able to identify the critical parts of the internal and external genitals, and describe their basic function. For 9- to 12-year-olds, learners will be able to describe:
- What sexually explicit media (pornography) and sexting are.
- Male and female responses to sexual stimulation (knowledge); explain that many boys and girls begin to masturbate during puberty or sometimes earlier.
The guidance also refers to teaching the material in an interactive way. It is dismaying to reflect on how this can be done know without graphic images and a led discussion taking place. This content clearly establishes a culture and sets out a norm for what is acceptable to teach young children.
Two statements encapsulate the WHO’s approach to gender:
- ‘Responds to contemporary global challenges through education with a special focus on gender equality [emphasis added]’.
- ‘Sexuality education is firmly based on self-determination and the acceptance of diversity [emphasis added]’.
The guidance given for ages 6–9 recommends a curriculum content that includes:
- Sexual intercourse, gender orientation, and sexual behaviour of young people.
- Differences between gender identity and biological sex.
For ages 9–12, the curriculum content includes gender identity and sexual orientation, including coming out and homosexuality.
The second publication says that according to the learning objectives for 5- to 8-year-olds, learners will be able to:
- Define gender and biological sex and describe how they are different.
- Reflect on how they feel about their biological sex and gender.
The guidance normalises attitudes and beliefs with which many profoundly disagree, which surely is not part of the WHO’s remit, and which represents a wholly inappropriate intrusion into an individual’s belief systems. The documents do indicate that the material must be appropriate for the ‘social and cultural norms of the society’ but this appears in the small print when set alongside the 80+ pages promoting the ideology. The WHO states, ‘One size doesn’t fit all’.
It is important to note that the WHO’s guidance specifically recognises the role of the churches and parents and also recognises the validity of cultural differences. The guidance states that the material must ‘take account of the culture, religion and social norms of the society’ and:
‘Faith-based organizations can provide guidance to programme developers and providers on how to approach religious leaders to begin a discussion about sexual health and sexuality education. Acting as models, mentors and advocates, religious leaders are ambassadors for faith communities that value young people’s well-being. Young people seek moral guidance that is relevant to their lives’.
It further says that ‘a successful programme needs the support and engagement of parents’, and ‘a successful programme needs trained teachers’.
In light of these statements, the position of parents, churches, and teachers with respect to abortion, gender, and the sexual components of the amended RSE programmes will now be considered. As referenced above, the WHO states that a successful programme needs the support and engagement of parents.
The Views of Parents
According to the official consultation carried out by the Department of Education NI, 74% of respondents are opposed to sex education resources covering ‘access to abortion’. The Department of Education report goes on to say:
Parental engagement can have a large and positive impact on children’s learning and achievement. It should therefore be a priority for schools to identify opportunities to support parents, particularly those parents who are not significantly involved in their children’s education. The more engaged parents are in the education of their children the more likely their children are to succeed in the education system … parents have told us they are the first teachers of their children. They have the most significant influence in enabling their children to grow and mature and to form healthy relationships. All schools should, therefore, work closely with parents when planning and delivering these new topics. Schools should ensure that parents know what will be taught and when, and clearly communicate the fact that parents, as already noted, understand they have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from all of the new education or elements of it’.
And yet the NI Children’s Commissioner (NICCY), in evidence to the Education Committee at Stormont, said that every child in NI ‘deserves to be taught Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) so they know what a healthy relationship looks like’ and that ‘RSE is vital for preparing children and young people for life. In June 2023, NICCY had welcomed the Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which introduced a mandatory requirement for the inclusion of age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion for adolescents, in the NI curriculum.
However, the Council appears to believe parents should not be part of that: ‘all children and young people should be able to access the same information on RSE and parents should not be able to opt-out for their children [emphasis added]’. The WHO also states that [programmes should] ‘take account of the culture, religion and social norms of the society’.
On the subject of gender transitioning, who decides if are you a boy or a girl? Let’s take a look next at the positions of the churches in NI.
A Spiritual Perspective: The View of the Churches
Vaughan Roberts, in his book Transgender: Christian Compassion, Convictions, and Wisdom for Today's Big Issues, sets out the Presbyterian Church’s position, speaks of the ‘profound insecurity’ and anxiety of many young people as they are being asked now to consider their gender. He says, ‘we will always be insecure if our identity is based on something within us. An identity in Christ could not be more secure’. Reverend McMullen, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, states in the book’s introduction, ‘the distinction between the sexes is increasingly being undermined especially in schools, where the concept of gender fluidity is often promoted. Christian parents and governors will surely want to express concern when this happens’.
This is a position statement of the Free Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which was emailed from Church officials to me:
‘The current Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum in primary and secondary schools requires a complete overhaul by the Department of Education and CCEA. The curriculum compromises the innocence of young children by introducing sexual topics prematurely and positions teachers to present immoral practices as acceptable, directly conflicting with the values taught at home and church.
The teaching of RSE in its present form in a classroom environment, is opposed to by parents, is one that compromises the deep trust between parent and child, especially when the subject matter is of a very personal and sensitive nature.
The use of outside agencies is another very concerning development when we witness that those employed are complete strangers to the child/children, and are not fully vetted for child safeguarding by AccessNI. Presenting topics with an ‘absence of Biblical morality’, as has been implemented in some schools, is to present evil and call it good. The teacher is a trusted person in the child's eyes, therefore, and in the absence of morality, any sinful practices would be regarded as acceptable.
What is currently considered as age-appropriate RSE is also leading to children acting out what they have been taught in RSE classes. Early sexual knowledge is linked to grooming and abuse and can lead to depression, suicidal tendencies, and psychiatric illnesses. While there may be useful topics discussed in the classroom with regards to safeguarding and online safety, we support age-appropriate, parent-led discussions about relationships and sexuality within the home environment.’
In summary, the Church believes there are only two genders, opposes abortion, and opposes same-sex relationships.
The Church of England’s view is that abortion is 'gravely contrary to the moral law'. As the 1980 statement of the Board of Social Responsibility put it, ‘in the light of our conviction that the foetus has the right to live and develop as a member of the human family, we see abortion, the termination of that life by the act of man, as a great moral evil’.
The Roman Catholic Church has consistently condemned abortion — the direct and purposeful taking of the life of the unborn child. In principle, Catholic Christians believe that all life is sacred from conception until natural death, and the taking of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong. The Church teaches:
‘Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being ("Donum vitae," 5)’.
The WHO also states that a successful programme needs trained teachers, reflecting the importance of the teacher in shaping how children see themselves and shaping their opinions. The importance of the teacher and the guidance of the authorities guiding and leading the teachers is clear. Studies have also found that young children crave approval from adults like teachers; this is especially the case for girls, and further, they will conform to what a teacher asks to garner that approval. If their teacher instructs them to choose their gender from a colourful chart, they are likely to oblige.
According to John Hattie’s 2003 paper "Teachers Make a Difference, What Is the Research Evidence?”, the teacher is the major external factor in student achievement. There are other major sources of variance:
Sanders, Wright, and Horn reported similar findings in 1997, saying, ‘the most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher’.
How teachers are trained is therefore crucial, as is the guidance they receive from the authorities. The position of the Department of Education was mentioned above. The Education Authority manages all the schools in NI; its web site has a suite of materials for teachers available here and here.
The influential Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) is reported as having prepared a teacher training resource entitled “Creating an LGBT+ Inclusive School”. This was part of INTO’s Professional Development Summer Course Programme 2023, in which teachers were advised to:
This statement is contrary to the evidence set out below, though it appears to be in line with Department of Education policy as set out on their website: ‘education for all children and young people should be provided in an inclusive environment that is nurtured within the whole community. This environment should be ‘positively welcoming to all, whatever their identity [emphasis added]’. It goes on to say that schools should ‘increase the visibility of transgender young people by supporting pupils in setting up a Gender and Sexual Orientation Alliance or introducing transgender role models’. Many teachers are, however, opposed to the content of the amended programme, which causes a conflict between their personal Christian values and their professional obligations.
The NI Human Rights Commission statement is used by officials to support the official standpoint: ‘schools must go further in promoting [emphasis added] gender diversity (meaning acceptance of the idea that children can swap gender or belong to some new gender)’.
It is in the context of the continued promotion of this agenda that a summary of the scientific evidence is set in Part 3. The series concludes with a summary of parents' rights and some advice on how to action them and addresses a question often posed by parents, namely: how did we get here?
Main image: freestocks-photos from Pixabay
