Parents offer sharp criticism of draft SPHE update

19th January 2023

A “sub-group” of parents who responded to a public consultation about a proposed new Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme for junior certificate students have expressed deep concern that teaching pupils about pornography might promote its use, a new report says. They also expressed msgivings about gender theories that say a person’s ‘gender’ and biological sex are unrelated. SPHE includes Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE).

The report has been issued by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) following the public consultation. It noted that the draft refers to ‘values’ several times and that the subject is clearly values-based, but does not state explicitly the values which underpin the updated SPHE course.

Some parents expressed strong criticism, with some pointing out “that gender identity is a highly contested and sensitive topic” which may lead to confusion and even harm for some adolescents.

They also alleged that the NCCA is seeking to promote ‘gender ideology’ by refusing to acknowledge the binary nature of gender.

The report said these respondents “are strongly of the view that we are born as either male or female and that sex is binary and immutable”.

Some parents were also “concerned about the lack of reference to morality, moral teachings or family values and would like to see the specification reflect a school’s right to teach topics in a manner that aligns with the school’s ethos and values”. Others “questioned the legitimacy of schools providing SPHE/RSE as they saw this as usurping the role of parents as educators of their children.”