Sex education in schools

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 18

Sex education in schools

Sir, — Our prediction concerning the ready-to-roll 38-schools “health” education programme was that the Minister of Education would take care not to aggravate parental unease by including anything in it as flagrant as the ' Family Planning Association’s “sex kit.” We told our members to expect textual material aligned with the Swedish pattern made ' familiar by the publication but yet restrained. We expected only the thin end of the humanist wedge. But it seems that the Minister regards such caution as a waste of \ time. His confidence may yet prove justified, but we doubt if most parents want their 12-year-olds to learn in mixed classes about menstrual periods, wet dreams and ' erections, from teachers authorised ; to answer all associated questions. The message we are getting from parents is that they much prefer . not only the healthy New Zealand brand of sex education taught in this country for the last 30 years, but also the traditional values that ’ go with it. — Yours, etc., D. ELLIOT-HOGG, National secretary, Community Organisation for Moral Education. June 25, 1985.