Sex Education In Primary Schools

No one older than seven or eight can now be in the slightest doubt as to where babies come from, and no one older than 11 or 12 can now be in the slightest doubt as to how to put on a condom. Yet … well, we all know yet what. Do not believe any talk of reductions in underage pregnancies, in particular. There is overwhelming anecdotal evidence that huge numbers of abortions on underage girls are simply listed as this, that and the other instead for statistical purposes. When something is as spectacularly unsuccessful as this, then, at the very least, it ought to be discontinued as a matter of the utmost urgency.

But then, is it unsuccessful in its own terms? Or is it in fact doing exactly what it is supposed to do? For it is difficult to avoid concluding that the whole point of it is to enable weirdoes to talk filth to children in order to incite them to sexual activity both with each other and with adults. Some people do this, it is called grooming, and they are sent to prison, the first point at which their activities become a financial expense to the rest of us. Yet other people do exactly the same thing out of the public purse throughout, and it is called Sex Education. Exactly the same thing.

Some of us would vote for candidates in the tradition of the Labour MPs who defended Catholic schools, and thus all church-based state schools, over several successive decades. Of the support by national leaders of the Social Democrats for Christian religious instruction in the schools of Berlin. Of the early Labour activists who resisted schemes to abort, contracept and sterilise the working class out of existence. Of the Catholic and other Labour MPs, including John Smith, who fought tooth and nail against abortion and easier divorce, not least including both Thatcher’s introduction of abortion up to birth and Major’s introduction of divorce legally easier than release from a car hire contract. Of the Methodist and other Labour MPs, including John Smith, who fought tooth and nail against deregulated drinking and gambling. Of those, including John Smith, who successfully organised (especially through USDAW) against Thatcher’s and Major’s attempts to destroy the special character of Sunday and of Christmas Day, delivering the only Commons defeat of Thatcher’s Premiership. Of the trade unions’ numerous battles to secure paternal authority in families and communities by securing its economic base in high-waged, high-skilled, high-status male employment. And of the trade union banners depicting Biblical scenes and characters.

But we can’t.

So we have to be those candidates ourselves.