Bishop criticises abortion lessons plan for NI schools

9th June 2023

A Catholic bishop has criticised a plan for school sex education class to include lessons on how to obtain an abortion. The order to do so was ordered by the Northern Secretary. The Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, said he was doing so following a recommendation by the UN.

Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown said he was concerned that schools not offering the lessons could be “criminalised”.

He added: “Schools want to offer pupils education, not just information.

“If anyone wants to find out about abortion you get something called Google and you type in abortion,” he said.

Mr Chris Heaton-Harris ordered the change to rules on relationships and sex education for schools on Tuesday, claiming he had a ‘legal duty’ to do so.

He enforced the move in Parliament, based on recommendations made in a United Nations report. UN recommendations are not legally binding.

Separately, the Presbyterian Moderator, Dr John Kirkpatrick, said that parents may withdraw their children from the new curriculum, while teachers may boycott the teaching of it.