Parents are the best relationships educators

According to research commissioned by the Evangelical Alliance, the public want parents, not the state, to be the final arbiters of what it is appropriate for their children to be taught under the new plans for compulsory relationships education.

The Department for Education is currently consulting on what should be included in the curriculum for primary school Relationships Education and secondary school Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) when the subjects become statutory in England from September 2019.

According to the survey, 78 per cent of adults want parents to have prior access to the content of relationships education classes prior to their delivery and four out of five people agree that parents should be notified if external organisations are contributing to the lessons. 

Sixty-five per cent of adults think that parents are the most appropriate people to decide when primary school children should learn about sexual activity and sexual orientation. A similar proportion say politicians are the least appropriate group to make that decision. Furthermore, 71 per cent thought relationships education should respect the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds of children and families.

Graham Nicholls, Director of Affinity, said, “This confirms that the public is reluctant to hand over the teaching of fundamental values to the state. We are not confident that in these sensitive areas where there are competing beliefs and ideologies, state educators are competent to teach in a way that respects the wishes, values and religious convictions of parents. We do not believe a one-size-fits-all approach will adequately address the varying convictions and practices of parents across the United Kingdom. Most of the components of PSHE are the primary responsibility of parents.

“Parents should retain the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons if they are unhappy with what is being taught; pupils should be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parent. We also believe that due respect should be paid to the religious and philosophical convictions of parents. For example, as Christians we would want some interaction with the historical data that demonstrates the importance of marriage, and the richness of care provided by the complementarity of a father and a mother as they relate to their children in different ways.

“We strongly believe that in view of the particular sensitivities aroused by RSE, it is important that schools should be required to consult with parents and be sensitive to their wishes and concerns.

The eight-week consultation is due to conclude on 12 February 2018.

You may also want to look at this open letter reproduced here