Government sex ed guidance misleads on law and evidence, says leading pro life group SPUC

Government sex ed guidance misleads on law and evidence, says leading pro-life group SPUC London, - Draft guidance by the British government on sex and relationships education (SRE) in schools is seriously misleading, says the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC).

SPUC was responding to a consultation on the draft guidance by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

Paul Tully, SPUC general secretary, commented: "The draft guidance is in conflict with both the law and the evidence about sex education. It refers to abortion as if it was a right, but in fact it remains a criminal offence in English law. "The guidance’s promotion of sexual health for children pays little or no regard to the legal age of consent to sexual intercourse. The guidance contradicts research evidence which it claims supports the proposed approach to sex and relationships education. "The draft guidance ignores parents’ rights over education upheld in international law, and fails to support faith schools in their duty to protect their ethos. "School governors, who are supposed to read this document, deserve better than this. They will have to wade through 60 pages of often poorly written, repetitive and, in some places, legally and factually erroneous material", concluded Mr Tully.

The draft guidance is separate from the government’s Children, Schools and Families bill.

The bill’s sex education clauses were dropped before parliament was dissolved for the general election.

SPUC is asking its supporters to urge parliamentary candidates to oppose anti-life and anti-family sex education measures if they are re-introduced after the election.