Consultation on the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill
Evidence submitted to the Children, Young People and Education Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill.
Individual
1. The Bill’s general principles
1.1 Do you support the principles of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill?
Partly
1.2 Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 1.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1500 words)
My Views are related to the mandatory RSE part of the curriculum. I am aware that this part comes from the global rollout originally from the World's Health Association and replaced with Unesco. The draft RSE says to refer to Unesco. I have deep concerns to the content of these documentation as they suggest the following.
Children have Sexual rights from Birth. children are encouraged to exercise these over the rights of their parents. Sexual Rights? Children of a young age should not be introduced to anything of a sexual nature, they should be taught the importance of relationships and the need of communication and mutual respect. They should be taught first and foremost about respecting themselves and their bodies are only for them. Anything of a sexual nature should be implied at a later stage of their development once the important things are taught. Children have the rights to be children.
Children are taught about consent. Although i do believe this is a great subject to teach older children in readiness to when they will be faced with a sexual relationship, may I suggest that consent should not come into it at a young age and in fact it should always be NO, no exceptions. The legislation fails to understand that many children who are abused do not think it is wrong as they have been somewhat groomed by abusers that are 'nice' to them. It also suggests that children can say yes if that is what they want.
Given the fact that children may come across untoward material, I believe it is up to us as a society to educate children in the best way to give them high morals and high self esteem.
1.3 Do you think there is a need for legislation to deliver what this Bill is trying to achieve?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
-
2. The Bill’s implementation
2.1 Do you have any comments about any potential barriers to implementing the Bill? If no, go to question 3.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
The barriers will be concerned parents and teachers who can see that the RSE element is inappropriate.
Parents will be horrified (as they were after the pilot scheme in Warwickshire- all about Me schools) and teachers will not want to teach inappropriate material to the pupils. There is the barrier of training as well. To teach such sensitive subjects will the teachers be adequately trained to make sure any child doesn't feel embarrassed or shocked by it.
2.2 Do you think the Bill takes account of these potential barriers?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
The parents are unable to remove their children from these classes, this does remove one of the assumed barriers however, this breaches our rights as parents. We would monitor what they watch and see at the age of 6 yet you want them to learn about information we keep them away from.
3. Unintended consequences
3.1 Do you think there are there any unintended consequences arising from the Bill? If no, go to question 4.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
Teaching children about sex before they are ready and desensitising them to many of the aspects can lead to very poor mental health. For a start this will create a generation of adults that are either sexually scarred or deviants. We are already faced with increasing split families and I believe that this will amplify this issue rather than help it.
4. Financial implications
4.1 Do you have any comments on the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum)? If no, go to question 5.1
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
-
5. Powers to make subordinate legislation
5.1 Do you have any comments on the appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (as set out in Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the Explanatory Memorandum). If no, go to question 6.1.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words)
We really need the power to make decisions ourselves as a country. Not legislation that has been rolled out globally. Most of their research and studies is done in third world countries. They are not relevant for our country.
6. Other considerations
6.1 Do you have any other points you wish to raise about this Bill?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
-