New government guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) endorses a ‘model curriculum’ developed by the Catholic Church which promotes homophobia and stigmatises couples who choose not to have children.
The curriculum, produced in conjunction with the Department for Education, states all RSE will be taught “in accordance with the Church’s moral teaching”. The Government allows faith schools to teach their “distinctive faith perspective on relationships” as part of RSE, which can include delivering it during religious education lessons.
The curriculum lists a number of resources “for those who wish to deepen their knowledge of the Church’s teaching”. Included on this list is a statement of Catholic doctrine which says homosexuality is “a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil” and “an objective disorder”.
The Catholic Church rejects the legitimacy of same-sex marriage. In 2018, National Secular Society research found state-funded Catholic schools promoting the idea that only heterosexual marriage is legitimate, with one school RSE policy stating that “treating alternative relationships as equivalent to marriage” goes against its Catholic ethos.
The model curriculum states secondary pupils should be taught sexual intercourse “should be delayed until marriage” – which effectively precludes same-sex relationships.
The curriculum also says pupils should be taught “the role of marriage as the basis of family life and its importance to the bringing up of children”, a requirement the NSS says “diminishes the status of same-sex parents” because it refers only to heterosexual relationships.
A survey from 2023 found one in three teachers feel faith acts as a ‘barrier’ to discussing LGBT topics in school. Amongst those who work at faith schools, the number increased to almost half, with 46% feeling that faith impeded their ability to engage in open discussions.
A further document from the model curriculum intended to help teachers “present the Church’s teaching effectively and engagingly”, states couples who choose not to have children “out of self-interest”, including those motivated by “career development” are “thinking sinfully”. The same document lists masturbation amongst “habits which intrinsically damage our real, supernatural dignity”.
The model curriculum also requires that pupils be taught the Catholic Church’s teaching on the morality of “artificial methods of managing fertility”. The Catholic Church opposes the use of all contraception other than abstinence, despite their role in reproductive health by preventing unwanted pregnancy and the transmission of sexually-transmitted infections.
The NSS said such teaching “puts religious dogma ahead of pupils’ health”.
An NSS study of over 600 state-funded secondary faith schools found more than three-quarters (77%) teach RSE in accordance with religious scripture.
NSS: Religious privilege in education actively undermining LGBT inclusion
NSS spokesperson Jack Rivington said: “It is deeply alarming that the Government saw fit to endorse an RSE curriculum developed by the Catholic Church – the teachings of which actively undermine respect for LGBT people, and contradict the advice of healthcare and educational professionals.
“The approach of the RSE guidance is totally incoherent: on the one hand, it requires schools to ensure that children are not stigmatised based on their home or family circumstances, yet it simultaneously allows faith schools to promote stigmatising ideas about same-sex couples and families.
“RSE should be about protecting children and young people’s health and wellbeing, not promoting religious doctrine. The Government should put children’s best interests first by rescinding the privileges afforded to faith schools regarding RSE.”