Sex education will normalise lesbianism, sodomy, promiscuity - Christian groups

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Johannesburg - The planned sexuality education to be introduced in schools attempts to normalise lesbianism, sodomy and sex outside marriage. In addition to that, it is an assault on the sexual health and innocence of children. These are the views of the Christianview Network as well as the African Christian Democratic Party who have rejected the proposed curriculum saying it will sexualise children and that it's also teaching them how to obtain sexual pleasure. Comprehensive Sexuality Education has been in the spotlight following a media report that from next year, textbooks for Grade 4 to 12 learners would include a curriculum approach that treats masturbation, sexual consent, gender non-conformity and single-parent families as mainstream. Minister of the Department of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said the curriculum was provided as part of life skills and life orientation.

"The Basic Education Department ensures that teachers are supported on seamless delivery of comprehensive sexuality education lessons in life orientation,” she said.

However, Christianview Network's Philip Rosenthal said they had seen leaked information on the lessons and that they include among others the fact that Grade 4 children will be given a line drawing of a naked boy and girl and asked to colour in their private parts of each.

The Grade 11 lesson plan, he said, includes a graphic illustration of how to insert a female condom and that the lessons lack the promotion of marriage as the correct place for sexual activity.

"The lessons in multiple places attempt to normalise lesbianism, sodomy and sex outside of marriage; include unnecessary detail and illustrations to achieve their stated purpose.

"The 'hero role models' promoted lean disproportionately in favour of LGBT including Zachie Achmat (in both grade 11 and 12). In the book 'Defiant Desire' Achmat boasts about his sex with older men while a child.

"(Former Constitutional judge) Justice Edwin Cameron who wrote the book 'Defiant Desire' full of stories of a diverse

forms of sex outside of marriage is also listed as a 'hero'."

Rosenthal urged parents to send a letter to their school refusing permission "to teach this material to their child and to require prior notification if they teach any sex education".

On the other hand, ACDP's Reverend Kenneth Meshoe said the curriculum seems intent on promoting a liberal agenda in schools which includes sexual experimentation and gender fluidity.

Meshoe said unlike traditional sex education that was taught in Life Orientation classes and which they don't have a problem with because of its age-appropriateness, the new comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) was a watered-down version of Unesco’s extensive curriculum

"CSE that is developed and promoted by Unesco does not promote abstinence but rather encourages dangerous and reckless sexual activities, habits and promiscuity.

"Unesco’s CSE promotes promiscuity and high risk behaviour to children as healthy and normal. Why should young children be taught how to obtain sexual pleasure in various ways if government is truly concerned about the spread of AIDS and teenage pregnancies?

"By introducing Unesco-developed CSE, it seems apparent that one of the main objectives of the department with CSE is to change the sexual and gender norms of society - especially one like South Africa, that has strong traditional and religious beliefs.

"The curriculum seems intent on promoting a liberal agenda in our schools, which includes sexual experimentation and gender fluidity," Meshoe said.

According to Meshoe, by introducing this sexuality education in schools, the government is putting the interests of South African children "above those of foreign agencies who seem intent on destroying the future of our children".

"We also call for CSE developed by Unesco to be scrapped and for government to revert back to traditional sexuality education which was previously taught in the Life Orientation curriculum. We must start applying African solutions to African problems."

The Star