Education and values

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34107, 20 March 1976, Page 17

Education and values

All education, whether within the family, an ' instil utioh. or in the community at large, was concerned with values, (said the Acting District ISenior Inspector of (Secondary Schools (Mr (M. R. Tunnicliff), comment ing on a letter to “The Press.” j Mr N. W. Harris, vice]chairman of ihe Concerned ; Parents' Association, asked I in the letter whether the Department of Education could I reassure parents that human development and relationjship programmes would re!fleet that heterosexuality I was a more satisfactory way I of life, and practising memI hers of homosexual groups it whether qualified teachers or not), would not be (allowed to take human sexluality or relationships courses. iMr Tunnicliffe said human development and relationship programmes were more I value laden than most, and it must be expected that persons supporting a par-1 ticular value position —i I such as the publicity officer! for the Gay Liberation Front| and the vice-chairman for the Concerned Parents' ' Association — would see in 1 these programnes both opportunities and dangers,!' depending on the particular value positions held. ( The Department of Education would expect schools to < base their human devel-T

■fonment and relationship courses on the three prin--ctptes outlined in the Department's booklet, "Human development and relationi ships in the School Curriculum.” The principles are: That teachers should be carefully selected and ( throughly prepared through training and rhe availability of resources. That a variety of in-service courses — school based. I regional, and national — be held to enable teachers to plan, exchange ideas, and be kept informed of developments I in the curriculum. Parents should be aware (of proposals for courses in (particular schools, he said. Most of them have been developed after careful consultation of parents and teachers. The Department! encouraged this dialogue be-1 tween schools and their| communities. The programmes should' also match the needs of pupils, said Mr Tunnicliffe.