Health education in schools

Press, 3 November 1981, Page 16

Health education in schools

Sir,—Could the DirectorGeneral of Health please advise the validity of the rumour circulating among some incredulous Canterbury parent and adult educationists that some bureaucrat in the Education Department or the Minister has refused the admission into the State schools of a poster and leaflets on Rubella — German Measles, Information Series 370, on the basis that the content contains sex education which should not be allowed into the schools in case the pupils or their parents have impure thoughts. This poster and brochure series should be in every school, primary and secondary, as a preventive health programme. The illustration shows a young girl dreaming of the future and dreaming of holding a baby in her arms and states “make sure you are protected against German Measles.” If such a rumour is correct, the decisionmaker should be laughed out of the system and transferred to teach sex education to the high-country rabbits or Antarctic penguins.—Yours, etc., M. O’NEILL. October 18, 1981. [Mr R. Campbell Begg, Director, Division of Health Promotion, replies: “The rubella immunisation programme at schools is aimed at girls in Form I and last year 94 per cent were protected by immunisation. It is anticipated that the level of acceptance will be even higher this year. Of course it is necessary to explain the need for this procedure to children and parents and every effort is made to do this in a variety of ways. The decision not to use the poster and pamphlets referred to in schools was made in deference to the wishes of the New Zealand Educational Institute which was totally opposed to its use in schools for a variety of reasons.”]