The beleaguered UK Conservative administration is now focusing on sex education.
The UK's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's administration has released new directions for how sex education and the understanding of gender identity should be taught in England's schools. This surprising announcement was extensively covered in newspapers a day before it was officially announced.
The government claims this clarification, which emerged due to pressure from a few politicians, focuses on accurate information instead of "contested views" on gender identity. However, opponents of these plans - which include many teachers and teaching union leaders - cry foul, arguing that it's an election-driven tactic to please a certain voter base.
Pepe Di'lasio, the head of the Association of School and College Leaders and a school principal in northern England, expressed his concerns about the move's political motivations. He stated, "When you first hear about this in a tabloid headline, that doesn't give you reassurance that the right research is taking place and that the right level of integrity is behind the decision-making."
"What we're witnessing is young people, their well-being, care, and guidance being used as a political pawn."
Unraveling Sex Ed and Gender Identity Classes
The British government's draft guidance focuses on how English children should learn about sex and relationships in primary and secondary school settings. Sex education at schools has been mandatory since 2020, but due to "reports of pupils being taught inappropriate content" in some schools, the government revised the approach.
Under new guidelines, children cannot be taught sex education below age nine, and "explicit discussion of sexual activity" is delayed until children are thirteen years old.
The Department of Education says topics related to "gender identity," or changing one's gender, must not be taught at all because they are "highly contested."
Stakeholders, like the LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, have questioned this stance, arguing that limiting what can be discussed may drive children to seek information from unreliable sources.
Paul Whiteman, the National Association of Head Teachers' general secretary, echoed these concerns with his statement, challenging the authority's decision to restrict teachers' discussions.
"Sam Freedman, Ark education charity advisor and Institute for Government think tank senior fellow, urged teachers to address topical social issues, asserting, "Isn't something being highly contested an excellent reason to discuss it in schools? Acknowledging that it's highly contested and explaining why?"
The proposed changes will undergo a nine-week consultation period, ending before the next British school year's start.
However, the timing of a general election, due by January (though expected in the latter half of 2023), complicates the issue. It remains unclear if and when the regulations will be implemented. Moreover, the announcement was accompanied by combative language, continuing the Conservative Party's ongoing discourse on "culture war" themes.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told The Sun, "Teachers are there to educate children with facts, not advocate for activist groups' agendas." Keegan continued, "No longer will young girls be taught that they might feel happier as boys."
The transgender rights debate has faced excessive rhetoric from the government. In February, Sunak made a transgender joke during a parliament session while Brianna Ghey (a murdered 16-year-old transgender girl's mother) was present in the public gallery.
“It’s questionable whether these guidelines were issued because they're commonplace or due to the impending general election," Di'lasio expressed concern about the political motivations behind the guidance.
"This government has opted for briefings and pre-election media leaks simply for attention-grabbing headlines. It's unacceptable." Whiteman, the head teachers' union leader, echoed the sentiment: "Children and young people of England deserve better."
Sunak aims to present himself as a champion of "common sense" during this week, which is a term frequently used by the prime minister to curry favor with socially conservative voters. However, education professionals are concerned that students are now being targeted as part of this campaign.
Di’lasio shared with CNN that the recent guidance signifies a significant shift in how educational directives have traditionally been conveyed to schools. According to him, "although you might not have agreed with all of them over time, there was always some evidence behind them, some research to support them."
"But when political ideology enters the picture, things become more challenging for the entire educational community. My fear is that unless we are cautious, we could witness young people who are not only neglected but also deprived of the education we envision for them."
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The world has shown interest in the UK's decision to revise its sex education guidelines, which include limiting discussions about gender identity in schools due to its controversial nature. Despite this, UK-based LGBTQ+ advocacy groups argue that restricting such discussions may drive children to seek information from unreliable sources.
In light of the UK general election, the implementation of these new guidelines remains uncertain, leading some, such as Pepe Di'lasio, to question the political motivations behind the changes.
Source: edition.cnn.com
