Welsh parents set to lose sex-ed right of withdrawal after Parliament vote
Marriage and FamilyParental rights suffered a signficiant blow after the Welsh Parliament voted 41-10 in favour of new legislation which will fundamentally change the roles of parents and the state in respect to education in Wales.
On Tuesday 15 December, Senedd Members voted on the Welsh Government’s Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill at Stage 1.
If the bill passes its remaining stages unchanged, Sex Education will be replaced by a new mandatory subject called Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) for children aged 3-16.
Religious Education will be replaced by a new mandatory subject called Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE).
For both subjects, the right of parents to withdraw their children will be removed entirely. This right previously applied to both Sex Education and Religious Education.
Under the bill, children will also no longer have to learn about the nature of marriage and the importance of family life. The protection from teaching and materials which are inappropriate in regards to their religious and cultural background also disappears.
One MS who voted against the bill at Stage 1 was Darren Millar MS. In his speech, Mr Millar argued that parents, not schools were the primary educators of their children:
What happens next?
The leiglsation will move to Stage 2 in the New Year where there will opportunities to table amendments to the bill.
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Welsh parents set to lose sex-ed right of withdrawal after Parliament vote