When you think about all the leading minds in the world we have here in America — some of the greatest thinkers, artists, writers, intellectuals and educators in human sexuality, we should really be leading the way. But no. Maybe that makes me want to try harder — and I am — but in the meantime, I see things like this and though am happily child free, rejoice for my friends raising kids in the UK. That’s not to say that I’m not being the world’s most awesome auntie and friend to my friends kids, and slipping my parent pals the best books on sex for parents and kids of all ages; I am. But I’m just one girl, one sex educator, with a lot of concern and big ideas. I’m pinning my hopes on the Internet being the next Americans’ generations’ form of harm reduction — providing information and experiences that let kids learn about sex and allowing them to make online mistakes before they go out in the world and make real mistakes, or take real risks. Or at least know what the risks are, if their schools and parents won’t tell them (or don’t even know themselves). Ooh, digression… I put forth my ideas for a national sex ed program a little while back; here is what Britain is actually doing about it:
Sex education is to be made a compulsory part of the national curriculum in primary and secondary schools under government plans to cut teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
A new personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, expected by 2010, will include compulsory sex and relationships education as well as better advice warning children against drugs and alcohol.
Children will learn about body parts and the fact that animals reproduce from the age of five, puberty and intercourse from the age of seven and contraception and abortion from the age of 11.
Schools will not be allowed to opt out of the rules but the government is promising separate guidance to faith schools, which could find elements of the new curriculum at odds with their spiritual beliefs.
The schools minister, Jim Knight, said they would still have to teach the curriculum – which includes contraception, abortion and homosexuality – but will separately be allowed to continue to teach religious beliefs about sex.
Knight said he wanted all schools to teach children more about sex in the context of relationships, including marriage and civil partnerships, and to promote abstinence.
“We are not talking about five-year-old kids being taught sex. What we’re talking about for key stage 1 is children knowing about themselves, their differences, their friendships and how to manage their feelings,” he said.
Secondary schools have so far had to teach the mechanics of sex in biology classes, but not in conjunction with relationships and sexual health. The new lessons will be part of wider lifestyle classes that will include drugs and alcohol.
Presenting the findings of a government review, Knight said pupils will also be taught about:
• The laws against drug and alcohol misuse and the risks involved
• Healthy lifestyles, the need for a good diet, and exercise
• How to manage their money (…read more, guardian.co.uk)
They have to do something, according to one of my friends that’s a librarian in the UK the schools currently aren’t teaching anything. She (originally from California) was shocked to overhear high school kids discussing myths that NO kid we grew up with would have believed. She said it’s truly frightening.
They may have sex ed, but we have Mr. Ed.