The real story, as we have been reporting, is that the Government is extending the sex ed programme down to the age of four, is demanding that gay marriage be included from the age of eleven, has made sex ed a compulsory part of the National Curriculum, and will be keeping the right of parents to withdraw their children from it 'under review'. (That means you can have the right to withdraw, but if you use it then the Government will take it away.)
And the Catholic response? Oona Stanard is quoted in the Catholic Times as saying 'PHSE is a very important part of a child's education and it should be in the curriculum'. Thanks, Oona.
The only institution in the UK - perhaps in Europe - capable of making a serious stand against sex ed is the Catholic Church. By its teaching on the subject, and by its role in education, it could be a serious obstacle to the Government's agenda. But no: Oona Standard, Archbishop Nichols and the other bishops are happy to give in completely on the issue, in return for this concession: that they be allowed to give the subject some Catholic window dressing, and claim 'victory'.
The Church has taught us, in conformity with common sense, that it is totally wrong to deliver the 'facts' about sex in a classroom setting, it is totally wrong to deliver them before puberty, and in fact it is wrong to 'deliver' them at all: the child must take the lead in asking questions of an adult the child trusts, at the time of his or her own choosing, and in a safe setting. If this is so, adding to the facts about sex some optional flannel about committed relationships makes not the slightest difference.
If this is a victory, I don't want to be around when the Church is defeated.
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