MLA Letter: Protect RSE

Protect RSE

There is a growing, highly organised protest movement against LGBT inclusive relationships and sexuality education (RSE). This has been exemplified by the national coverage of protests at schools around the UK; in many cases teachers have been extremely intimidated and some have even received death threats. In several cases schools have suspended lessons in response.

In 2019 the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment updated the guidance on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) for primary and post-primary schools. This is in accordance with the 2013 Department of Education circular which states "should be taught in harmony with the ethos of the school and reflect the moral and religious principles held by parents and school management authorities'".

The prioritisation of schools ethos in the guidance encourages the restriction of content and the promotion of religious views rather than comprehensive and non-discriminatory RSE.

Please ask your MLA to urge the Minister of Education to reconsider the requirement for schools to teach RSE according to their ethos, and to provide extra clarity over schools' duties to consult RSE policy with parents.

It must be made clear that consultation is not an opportunity or invitation for parental veto or

restriction of subject content.

MLAs receive a lot of research and correspondence from campaigning organisations. When their constituents also share these reports it shows that voters care about this issue.

You can use the below template to share the report and its findings and recommendations with your MLA; just enter your postcode to get started. Please consider taking the time to personalise it. Let your MP know:

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Dear {{name}}

I am extremely concerned about the spreading and increasingly intimidating campaign against LGBT-inclusive education. I therefore ask you to urge the Education Secretary to reconsider the requirement for relationships & sexuality (RSE) policies to "reflect the school’s ethos", and for caution to be exercised on the requirement for the policy to be subject to consultation with parents.

The Department of Education should make it clear that schools with a religious ethos cannot have RSE policies that stigmatise LGBT people; for example, they should not say that same-sex relationships are morally wrong.

Furthermore, it must be made clear that the duty to consult parents on RSE policy is not an opportunity or invitation for parental veto or restriction of subject content.

As you are no doubt aware, there is a growing, highly organised protest movement against inclusive RSE. This has been exemplified by the national coverage of protests at schools around the UK; in many cases teachers have been extremely intimidated and some have even received death threats. In several cases schools have suspended lessons in response.

But reactionary opponents of inclusive RSE aren’t just protesting outside schools. Many are running them. Some faith schools are trying to exploit loopholes in regulations to avoid teaching RSE or aspects of it which do not conform to their religious ethos.

These developments pose a significant threat to the future of RSE and efforts to make our schools more inclusive, and remind us that the enduring blight of homophobia cannot be ignored or wished away.

All schools should of course be aware of cultural sensitivities and how pupils’ backgrounds may influence their views on different issues. However, regard for the religious backgrounds of pupils must not serve as a euphemism for restricting or diluting relationships or sex education. There is no valid reason for schools to vary the form or content of RSE based on the religious background of their pupils – indeed to do so may be discriminatory.

We’ve come a long way in LGBT rights and equality in Northern Ireland, and we should take immense pride in this. Please don’t let us go backwards – please urge the Minister of Education to act, and make clear that religious views cannot justify limiting children's access to LGBT-inclusive RSE.

Yours sincerely,

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MLA Letter: Protect RSE

Protect RSE

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