Jewish secondary schools will have to acknowledge the existence of same-sex relationships in Britain at some point in the curriculum, according to advice issued by Partnerships for Jewish Schools on the government’s new relationships and sex education (RSE) guidelines.
The guidelines, approved by an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons last Wednesday, are due to be debated in the Lords later this week.
Charedi and other conservative religious groups remained concerned at the Department for Education’s expectation that children should be taught about LGBT equality at “a timely point” during their school career.
Whereas the relationships component of RSE will be compulsory, in primary schools sex education will be optional and in secondary schools children will still be able to be withdrawn from it.
According to the government’s proposals, schools will have flexibility in defining the content of RSE and they will have to consult with parents over what to teach and at what age to teach it.
In its guidance, Pajes, the Jewish Leadership Council’s education division says: “There is a requirement for schools to ensure they are compliant with the Equality Act 2010 by ensuring that students know what relationships are allowed under the law of the country”.
Primary schools must teach children “about different family units”, it adds, “but do not have to reference same-sex relationships as one of these”.
It recommends schools put in place anti-bullying policies, which “include protection for the LGBT community” and explicitly mention all the protected characteristics under Equality Law, such as sexual orientation or gender reassignment.
They should be able to show how they would support children “exploring their gender or sexuality”.
Faith groups are free to teach about sexual relationships, including LGBT relationships from “a faith perspective", Pajes emphasises.
“They should however, also teach students that the law in the UK allows for all types of relationships and must teach students the importance of showing tolerance and respect towards all.”
Schools comfortable with teaching Judaism’s view of relationships and sex could do so within Jewish studies, Pajes says.
But if they are uncomfortable with this, they must still incorporate lessons promoting tolerance somewhere within the school’s curriculum.
One example could be to refer in Holocaust education to the different groups persecuted by the Nazis, Pajes suggests.
Secondary school pupils are required to be taught about the dangers of abuse, including sexual abuse, it reminds schools.
