November 6, 2009
Religious groups challenge new rules on pre-consent lessons
by Joanna Sugden
The Times
Ed Balls is facing legal challenges from faith groups and individuals over his announcement of mandatory sex education lessons for pupils before they reach the age of consent.
Religious groups reacted with anger to the move by the Schools Secretary, which will make it compulsory for all pupils aged 15 will learn about relationships, sex and drugs over the course of a year. The age of consent in the UK is 16. The Muslim Council of Britain vowed to mount a challenge to the new laws that it says contravene the right for children to be taught according to their parents' tradition.
Shahid Akmal, chairman of the Muslim Council of Britain's education committee, said parents would be forced to break the law because of their beliefs. "It will cause difficulty," he said. "I cannot condone people breaking the law, but it will be an individual decision and some parents will feel that it's the only option open to them."
Others said the move could lead to the situation in which Roman Catholic schools would have to show children how to use condoms while teaching that contraception is a sin.
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