Christian Voice squeaks up on the World at One

BRITAIN’S most tedious tosspot – fundie crackpot Stephen “Birdshit” Green – told listeners to BBC Radio 4’s World at One today that “condoms offer no protection” against certain sexually transmitted diseases, and that sex education lessons in schools are tantamount to “child abuse”.

Stephen 'Birdshit' Green

The ghastly Green was responding to a report that all state school pupils in England, from the age of five, are in future to receive compulsory lessons in sex, relationships, drug misuse, personal finance and first aid, in both primary and secondary schools.

The decision to make Personal, Social and Health Education a compulsory subject for pupils of all ages, announced this morning, follows the publication today of two reports – an eight-month review into sex and relationships education led by the schools minister Jim Knight, and a report by the Advisory Group on Drug and Alcohol Education.

At the start of his review, Mr Knight said he was concerned that sex and relationship education provision was patchy, and that it was failing to tackle Britain’s unusually high rate of underage pregnancies and rising levels of sexually transmitted infections among the young. Last year, the number of abortions for girls under the age of 16 increased by 10 per cent, to 4,376.

According to the UK Youth Parliament, four out of 10 young people say they received no relationship education at school.

Mr Knight said that although it will be compulsory to teach personal, social and health matters in schools, that did not mean young children will be “taught sex”. And he told World at One listeners that he:

Disagreed with almost everything that Stephen Green said.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Knight emphasised:

We want to be clear we’re not talking about five-year-olds being taught about sex. At Key Stage 1 they will be learning about themselves, their differences, their friendships, how to have strong friendships and how to manage their feelings. That then allows them in Key Stage 2 to learn about puberty and then about the facts of life, all these sorts of matters.

He added that five-year-olds could be taught topics such as the differences between men and women as well as that animals produce offspring.

Mr Knight said that faith schools:

Won’t be able to opt out – but they will be able to deliver sex education within the confines of faith.

The announcement puts the Government on a collision course with campaign groups such as the Family Education Trust, which argues that there is no evidence that teenage pregnancy rates are reduced by starting sex education at an early age.

And Christian Voice’s Green – who is in love with the notion that ignorance is bliss – was quoted as saying that the idea of teaching young children about sex was “a wickedness” from a Government that wanted to see “a whole generation fornicating”.

We oppose this move completely. It can only encourage experimentation and will not teach about the rise in teenage pregnancy and infertility. Condoms only cover one part of the anatomy and do not protect against other infections carried on the skin that can cause infertility.

He did not elaborate on what these “infections” were.

But Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, welcomed the change - and added that parents should not be allowed to opt their children out of sex lessons.

If it is important enough to be statutory then it is important enough for every child to receive it. This is a fundamental issue which must now be resolved before the Government discovers that it has committed significant time and resources only to find a handful of children remain in the class.

It was also welcomed by the National Aids Trust, whose chief executive, Deborah Jack, said:

Finally the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has put forward sensible suggestions for compulsory sex and relationship education in all schools. It is vital that the Government acts on these recommendations.

Whilst some people may be nervous of these proposals, it is important to remember that STIs, including HIV, are on the rise among young people in the UK. HIV is a serious long-term condition and it is vital our young people are armed with the information they need to protect themselves.

She urged the Government to include discussion of same-sex relationships in the curriculum, saying that with HIV diagnoses at an all time high among young gay men it was important to offer relevant education to them.

Katrina Mather, 16, a Youth Parliament Member, also called the change:

A huge step forward and one that is supported by young people throughout the country.