On 12 September, SPUC hosted its “Withdraw the Law” meeting, pushing back against Westminster's “unacceptable” Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) diktat that includes teaching abortion access to schoolgirls aged between 12 and 16.
In June, the Westminster Government imposed new RSE Regulations without any consultation with the Northern Irish public. The diktat obliges all post-primary schools, regardless of religious ethos, to promote abortion. As the law now stands, all schoolgirls between the ages of 12 and 16 must be told how to get an abortion without the knowledge of their parents.
Opposing Westminster’s order, SPUC’s campaign “Withdraw the Law” witnessed 120 supporters and concerned citizens meet in Belfast on Tuesday. The demands raised at the event were unequivocal: the law must be withdrawn, and no further measures introduced without a full public consultation.
During the meeting, people heard about a range of actions they can take, such as distributing campaign literature, engaging with schools, churches and elected representatives as well as spreading the word among family and friends.
Michael Peacock, principal of Brackenagh West Primary School, was one of many concerned voices at the event, where he said that parents must be made aware of the full implications of new RSE regulations.
“Everyone needs to be made aware of what’s coming… [of] the dangers”, said Mr Peacock. “Parents need to be informed…
“Parents have a lot more power than they realise… They need to engage with the board of governors at the school… expressing their very strong concern and making it clear that they will not be at all happy if anything like this [abortion access] is taught.”
New poll shows Westminster at odds with NI parents
The event was given extra weight and urgency following the findings of a new poll commissioned by SPUC showing that parents in Northern Ireland have deep concerns about RSE lessons imposing pro-abortion ideology on their children.
56% of parents were strongly opposed to the proposition that schools should be able to refer children for an abortion without parental consent, the poll found.
Over half (55%) of parents surveyed also stated that the people of Northern Ireland, not the NI Secretary, should decide the content of the RSE curriculum taught to children, and supported a public consultation, including on teaching access to abortion, before any change to RSE regulations.
An “unmistakable message” rejecting RSE diktat
SPUC’s Policy & Legal Officer, Liam Gibson, who attended the “Withdraw the Law” event, said: “People are angry, very angry and they are not going to stand idly by while their children are robbed of their innocence. That was the unmistakable message that was sent by the meeting.
“Both the panel of speakers and the audience were drawn from right across the community. Nevertheless, there was total unanimity – the RSE Regulations are illegitimate, unacceptable and they have to go.
“It’s time the London Government started respecting the rights of parents to have their children educated in accordance with their religious convictions. They must immediately withdraw the law and introduce no further legislation without a full and fair consultation.”