CfEY calls on government to rethink ‘damaging’ new relationships and sex ed guidance

The Centre for Education and Youth has joined over 30 organisations in writing to the Secretary of State Gavin Williamson to raise profound concerns about  about new guidance requiring schools to bar certain groups from involvement in Relationships and Sex Education. The letter features in today’s Schools Week long read.

Commenting on the guidance, Chief executive of CfEY Loic Menzies said:

“As a former Citizenship teacher myself, I am well aware of the challenges around discussing sensitive and controversial topics in school but these broad-brush restrictions being imposed by the DfE are not the right way to go.”

“The Centre for Education and Youth is concerned that this guidance is ill-judged and potentially dangerous, opening the door to undemocratic censoring of discussion and debate. A number of groups could potentially find themselves unfairly barred from schools as a result of this guidance, with groups like the Black Educators Alliance already raising important concerns. It is therefore not clear why the government deems these particular restrictions necessary. ”

“Given the controversial nature of this guidance it is important to remind schools that they do not have to follow it, given that it is advice rather than a statutory requirement. I therefore hope most schools will continue to do their best to help pupils engage and critique a broad range of perspectives as preparation for life in modern Britain.”