2nd September 2005

Christian Heritage NZ Seeks Values in Sex Education

Christian Heritage NZ will introduce a Values in Sex Education Act that will require all school sex education programmes to promote the benefits of marriage, and of abstinence prior to marriage. CHNZ leader Ewen McQueen said that it was impossible to have value-free sex education as all programmes communicated messages as to how young people were expected to behave – even if only implicitly. In light of this it was better that Parliament made explicit what values it wanted included in sex education programmes, rather than leaving their ethos to be determined by programme providers. Mr McQueen stated,

“If we are going to have sex education, then at least let’s all be clear about the values we want to see communicated to our young people. Abstinence prior to marriage should be the standard being upheld, and young people should be given full information about the benefits of this. Age appropriate contraceptive advice can also be included but it should not be the main focus of programmes. Instead we should be affirming our young people in what they really are - romantic idealists looking for something noble to aspire to.”

The CHNZ leader said the Values in Sex Education Act would also require sex education programmes to provide students with information about the clear benefits that committed married relationships provided compared with the alternatives.

Mr McQueen acknowledged there would be stiff opposition to his party’s proposal from some current providers of sex education but said,

“Why should organisations like the Family Planning Association be given free reign to determine what values get communicated to our young people in this important area? Surely that is something for all New Zealanders to decide through their elected representatives – Parliament.”

He said that once the Values in Sex Education Act was implemented all sex education programmes would have to meet its requirements.

ENDS

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