The sex questions children aged 11 will be asked in government-backed lessons
- Youngsters could be quizzed about adult films to teach about consent
- Lesson for 11-16 year-olds will also cover ‘rape myths and victim blaming’
- But critics warn classes could encourage children to watch adult films
Children as young as 11 will be encouraged to critique the performance of porn stars under government-backed lessons.
Youngsters could be quizzed about adult films by teachers in a bid to teach them about the issue of consent.
Staff are told to be prepared that pupils may argue that ‘taking part is just like any job, and that people often do jobs that they don’t like’.
But furious critics have attacked the personal, social and health education lessons (PSHE) for children aged 11 to 16 as a ‘free advertisement for the porn industry’.
They warn that the classes could encourage young children to watch adult films.
The latest PSHE guidance – commissioned by the Department for Education and backed by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and Home Secretary Theresa May – was published yesterday.
Produced by the PSHE Association, which is funded by the Government, it is designed to help schools teach the issue of consent at Key Stage 3 and 4.
Detailed lesson plans in eight subjects include content such as ‘pornography, sexual images and consent’ and ‘rape myths and victim blaming’.
An ‘extension’ activity suggests talking about the stars of the films with children. The class would be asked: ‘Is everyone acting in pornography consenting to the situation?’
The guidance does not suggest showing porn films in class.
A ‘main activity’ involves imagining an alien from a planet where there is no sex coming to Earth and gathering information from watching pornography. Pupils in groups could ‘discuss and list the misconceptions about consent that the alien would have if their only evidence was from pornography’.
Porn lessons are aimed at upper Key Stage 3 – age 13 and above – but teachers can introduce the subject for younger ages if they think the topic is having an ‘influence’ on attitudes. Lessons are not mandatory but schools are encouraged to adopt them.
But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said the lessons were an ‘emotional and moral minefield’. He said: ‘It’s very dangerous and it’s taking children at a fairly vulnerable age into territory which is likely to traumatise and emotionally disturb them. ‘It’s basically a free advertisement for the porn industry. If the makers of pornographic films were to do this, it would be condemned as corrupting a generation of children.’
Professor Alan Smithers, of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said the lessons give an ‘extraordinary message’ to pupils.
And Margaret Morrissey, of campaign group Parents Outloud, added: ‘We are bringing up a generation of children who are having their childhood constantly eroded.’
Joe Hayman, chief executive of the PSHE Association, which received £75,000 funding from the DfE in 2014-15, said the lessons will be directed at over 13s in the ‘vast majority’ of cases.
Teachers could introduce the classes from age 11 ‘based on the needs of their pupils’. He said: ‘If there’s an issue in the classroom, we think it’s better addressed in a safe classroom setting than it is on the street or people are exposed on their own on the internet.’
Secondary schools would need to consult parents, who have the right to withdraw their children from the classes.
The 65-page document was commissioned in March 2013 while Michael Gove was Education Secretary. In September 2013, he said teachers should be trusted to get sex guidance right.
He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: ‘The most important thing is to make sure that we provide the resources that teachers need, that we trust teachers to deliver sex and relationship education in the right way, but we give them the chance to talk to experts.’
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘We want to see all young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.
‘Good PSHE teaching has a vital role to play in this; giving young people a better understanding of the issues they face today and supporting them to make informed choices and stay safe.
‘The new guidance from the PSHE Association will provide secondary teachers with the information and resources they need to teach pupils the importance of building healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.’
WHAT THE PUPILS WILL DISCUSS
Imagine an alien from a planet where they are all clones, so there is no sex, has come to Earth to find out about human sexual relationships. It is too shy to ask so gathers evidence from pornography. In groups, discuss and list the misconceptions about consent that the alien would have if this was its only evidence.
Does pornography realistically depict consent? Are the characters actually consenting?
Are women presented as being equal to men? Does this affect our views about gender and consent?
Is everyone acting in pornography consenting to the situation?
Some people say if you add money then it is not really a consenting situation. What do you think of this in relation to pornography actors getting paid to have sex on screen?
What if the actor was a drug addict or a victim of trafficking? Does this affect our view of their ability to consent to participate?