Fair trial urged for teaching on puberty

Press, 12 July 1985, Page 5

Fair trial urged for teaching on puberty

Parents are being frightened into opposing a trial of the section on pubertal change in the new health syllabus for intermediate pupils, says the president of the School Committees’ Federation, Mrs Maureen Bamford.

She was disappointed at statements being made by those opposed to this section of the syllabus, she said yesterday. “I consider it irresponsible of these people to attempt to prevent a trial of this section.

“They are trying to frighten parents by taking sections out of context and even making completely incorrect statements.” Suggestions that pupils would be subjected to the personal sexual attitudes of teachers were insulting to teachers, said Mrs Bamford. Trying to influence school committees, which had the absolute right to make their own decisions, was an unwarranted interference. “Education in this area of human development and relationships should take

place in the caring environments of the home and the school. It is not an either-or situation,” she said. I “Children are entitled to receive accurate knowledge and to have the opportunity to discuss this knowledge, not through smutty stories and half-truths but through honest, open discussion.” The 38 primary and intermediate schools in the trial should be allowed to have the consultation and discussion free from the present barrage of slanted information, she said.