sex ed for kindergarteners in england

[Amby 490]

LONDON - It’s a controversial idea in a land known for prudishness about sex — teaching kids as young as 5 about the birds and bees.

But with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe, the British government is bringing sex education to all schools in England — including kindergartens.

While countries like France, Holland and China already require sex education, few places demand that it be introduced at such a young age.

“It’s vital that this information doesn’t come from playground rumor or the mixed messages from the media about sex,” Schools Minister Jim Knight said Thursday, announcing that sex ed would be added to the national curriculum.

English schools now are required to teach basic lessons on reproduction as part of the science curriculum. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have separate education departments and standards. Only Scotland makes sex education voluntary.

Self-awareness

The government hasn’t detailed what the new curriculum will look like, but schools will be asked to provide lessons on relationships and contraception, topics not previously required. Lessons will become more sophisticated as kids get older.

Elementary schools can offer lessons in naming body parts, preparing for puberty and relationship feelings, Knight said.

For the very young, sex ed will mainly be about self-awareness, he said.

“We are not talking about 5-year-old kids being taught sex,” he said. “What we’re talking about for key stage 1 (ages 5-7) is children knowing about themselves, their differences, their friendships and how to manage their feelings.”

But not everyone feels the state should decide when and how to broach the topic.

“I am not the parent who calls her son’s ####### a wee-wee. But I should decide if the word ####### enters my child’s vocabulary at 5 or not,” said Elizabeth Talbot of London, who has two sons, aged 4 and 6 months old.

The government said children over 11 — the age at which kids generally go to secondary school in England — could learn how to develop respectful relationships and how risky sexual behavior contributes to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.

Country considered prudish

Britain has among the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe, with government figures showing that about 39,000 girls between ages 15 and 17 became pregnant in 2006, the year for which the most recent figures are available. An additional 7,200 girls between the ages of 13 and 14 were reported pregnant the same year.

Yet the country has long been considered more prudish and reserved than its continental neighbors.

“Everybody has sex at some point or other in their lives ... (but) we’re not willing to prepare them,” said Gill Frances, who served as part of a group that advised lawmakers on the new sex ed policy.

French students get sex ed in middle and high schools. Norwegian students typically get mandatory sex education around age 15. The topic is not mandatory but left up to principals and teachers in Italy.

In Finland, at age 11 or 12 children in school are taught about reproduction but sexual health and human relations begins between age 14 or 15. The Finish children’s watchdog, the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, last month proposed distributing free condoms to ninth graders (16 year olds) in schools to the stop spread of sexually transmitted diseases; education authorities rejected it.

Sex ed around the world

In the United States, which lacks a national curriculum, the decision to offer sex education is left to individual states and districts. In recent years, the federal government has funded programs promoting sexual abstinence. The abstinence programs are favored by religious conservatives.

The topic has even made it into the presidential election campaign.

John McCain accused Barack Obama of being bad for families, saying he supports sex education for kindergartners. The legislation that Obama supported in the Illinois Senate would have required information deemed age appropriate, and Obama has said that meant warning young children about sexual predators.

In China, students generally begin sex education in middle school, but the curriculum is basic. In India, where more than 2.5 million people are infected with the AIDS virus, basic sex education has been offered in schools since the late 1980s. However, six of India’s largest states banned the basic programs, saying they would corrupt the young.

Peru is implementing a pilot program this year in 146 schools that begins lessons on sexual reproduction at age 11 and on birth control at 14. It will be adopted nationwide next year.

“Statutory (sex ed) is absolutely crucial in reducing teenage pregnancy, particularly for vulnerable young people, but all children and young people need equipping with the skills and knowledge to help manage their lives,” said Frances, chairman of the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group.

Supporters of the government’s plan for England say they hope the lessons give kids information they need.

“When parents fail to educate their kids properly, the government has every right to step in,” said Gayla Coil, a Londoner and mother to two kids ages 13 and 10. “Me, I welcome the help.”

Knight said teachers would get training and that schools would “ensure there is flexibility for schools to tailor lessons to reflect the values and beliefs of the parents and communities they serve.” Schools will be expected to implement the curriculum by 2010.

Teachers will likely have mixed feelings about the change, said Nansi Ellis, head of education policy for a teachers union.

“Some teachers will be uncomfortable with teaching this to very young children,” she said. “But it’s a really important part of children learning. Learning isn’t just about academic achievements but the development of the whole person.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27350263/

[caybee 21]

The curriculum described in the article sounds reasonable to me. Unfortunately, too many kids are getting their first exposure to sex ed from TV, movies, video games, and their peers. I was astonished to overhear a group of 6- and 7-year-old boys discussing what they had supposedly done with a female classmate (I didn't believe it for a second -- virtually anatomically impossible to do what they described at that age, and the supposed acts were just too far fetched). Ideally, of course, it's the job of the parents to step in with age-appropriate sex ed, but that job so often gets dumped on the schools just like providing breakfast and so many other traditionally parental responsibilities. Too bad, but it is what it is. If the burden of the healthcare for teen pregnancies and STDs is gonna fall on the state, then the state should be allowed to provide appropriate education in an attempt to curtail that.

[msu17 0]

The curriculum described in the article sounds reasonable to me. Unfortunately, too many kids are getting their first exposure to sex ed from TV, movies, video games, and their peers. I was astonished to overhear a group of 6- and 7-year-old boys discussing what they had supposedly done with a female classmate (I didn't believe it for a second -- virtually anatomically impossible to do what they described at that age, and the supposed acts were just too far fetched). Ideally, of course, it's the job of the parents to step in with age-appropriate sex ed, but that job so often gets dumped on the schools just like providing breakfast and so many other traditionally parental responsibilities. Too bad, but it is what it is. If the burden of the healthcare for teen pregnancies and STDs is gonna fall on the state, then the state should be allowed to provide appropriate education in an attempt to curtail that.

Totally agree, especially for the UK where half the reason the girls get pregnant in the first place is for gov. benefits. This sounds very similar to what we had in school. We started talking about really basic stuff in 4th grade I think. The boys and girls were divided up and we were taught about our particular anatomy. Girls were told about periods and we were allowed to ask any question we had anonymously to the nurse that was giving the talk. Each year it got more advanced, I think the next year learning about boy anatomy and the next year talking about developing boy girl relationships and then finally contraception from 7th grade on. It wasnt too much info and prepared us with a basic level of knowledge on how things work and how people get pregnant (and how to stop it).

[akdiver 3]

Why not teach them what they really need to know - how to get laid.

The boys and girls were divided up and we were taught about our particular anatomy.

This mentality is part of the problem. The whole notion that the issue can't be discussed in mixed company, and that, for some reason, sex ed should vary based on gender - rather than EVERYONE getting ALL the info.

[Ban Hammer 13,349]

Why not teach them what they really need to know - how to get laid.

or just teach them what tarts look like.

[IAMX 3,055]

Does England have an epidemic of Kindergarteners having sex and making babies? Why can't they teach this in school when their "parts" become useful.

[Amby 490]

Does England have an epidemic of Kindergarteners having sex and making babies? Why can't they teach this in school when their "parts" become useful.

There's a massive problem in England with people getting pregnant at younger and younger ages

[IAMX 3,055]

Does England have an epidemic of Kindergarteners having sex and making babies? Why can't they teach this in school when their "parts" become useful.

There's a massive problem in England with people getting pregnant at younger and younger ages

How many Kindergarteners are getting pregnant?

[Amby 490]

Does England have an epidemic of Kindergarteners having sex and making babies? Why can't they teach this in school when their "parts" become useful.

There's a massive problem in England with people getting pregnant at younger and younger ages

How many Kindergarteners are getting pregnant?

3 or 4?

[IAMX 3,055]

Doesn't it make sense then to teach this at the age where their sexual functions start to mean something and produce results like STDs and pregnancy?

It would make just as much sense to me to teach accounting to a Kindergartener as this sort of sex ed. It has no use at this point. There's lots of more important and useful things they should be learning.

Edited October 27, 2008 by SRVT

[Heracles 417]

Doesn't it make sense then to teach this at the age where their sexual functions start to mean something and produce results like STDs and pregnancy?

It would make just as much sense to me to teach accounting to a Kindergartener as this sort of sex ed. It has no use at this point. There's lots of more important and useful things they should be learning.

You're in marketing so you don't know much about accounting. Only how to sell bull #######. Which is what you do so well in these forums.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Aficionado

[Sister Fracas 5]

You're in marketing so you don't know much about accounting. Only how to sell bull #######. Which is what you do so well in these forums.

And so your opinion on the actual topic would be...... ?

[Sister Fracas 5]

Why not teach them what they really need to know - how to get laid.

The boys and girls were divided up and we were taught about our particular anatomy.

This mentality is part of the problem. The whole notion that the issue can't be discussed in mixed company, and that, for some reason, sex ed should vary based on gender - rather than EVERYONE getting ALL the info.

I disagree. Maybe further down the road after kids have learned about birds and bees, it's ok in a mixed seeting to talk about birth control, STDs, etc., but when kids are just getting info for the first time, I think there is a lot of embarassment which would only be made worse by having members of the other sex around and would probably hinder learning.

[IAMX 3,055]

You're in marketing so you don't know much about accounting. Only how to sell bull #######. Which is what you do so well in these forums.

And so your opinion on the actual topic would be...... ?

[akdiver 3]

I think there is a lot of embarassment which would only be made worse by having members of the other sex around and would probably hinder learning.

There is only embarressment because people are socialized that way. If we would stop socializing people to be ashamed of their bodies and to treat sex as some taboo topic, this kind of attitude would stop.