MEDIA RELEASE
12 October 2008
Sex and Puberty Education Is Family Territory

Family First NZ is rubbishing a call for sex and puberty education to be taught to children as young as eight or nine years old.

“It is simply not the role of the state through the education system to be pumping this information into young children. It is the vital role of parents,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“A state run system ignores the maturity of the child, the values of the family, and the uniqueness of each child to learn the material at the right time for them. Parents are far better at judging this.”

“The claim by Professor Peter Gluckman that most parents aren’t competent to talk to their child about these issues is an insult to parents, all who have been through puberty themselves.”

“We should be equipping parents with the necessary information needed so that they can sensitively and appropriately teach this information to their own children.”

“The current approach of comprehensive sex education and ‘use a condom’ has been a spectacular failure with NZ having one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the OECD.”

“Studies show that the biggest protective factors for coping with puberty and sexual involvement are married parents, family values, parental supervision, and parental expectations for behavior. What happens at home is the greatest determinant of the outcomes for the young person.”

“Professor Gluckman is correct in saying that a child’s emotional maturity may come well after their physical maturity. But this is simply evidence that young people should be taught to abstain until they are emotionally ready for the consequences of sexual activity – a message completely ignored by groups like Family Planning.”

“It’s time schools were left to teach, rather than being de facto parents, and that mums and dads were equipped and encouraged to deal with this important subject, in the best interests of the child concerned,” says Mr McCoskrie.

ENDS

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