Sex Education – a Catholic perspective

A Catholic view

From the Catholic perspective, it is the parents who have the prime responsibility for educating their children about human sexuality.

Although this responsibility can never be entirely delegated, teachers in Catholic schools assist parents with this vitally important task, which already has a place in the general curriculum.

In NSW, Catholic schools follow the Board of Studies curriculum, which includes primary and secondary syllabuses in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE). Issues of relationships and sexuality are dealt with in these programs.

The primary syllabus, for instance, requires teachers to deal with reproduction, puberty, menstruation and sexual identity at some stage of primary schooling.

The secondary syllabus is more comprehensive and includes ‘rights and responsibilities in sexual relationships’ and ‘issues associated with sexuality (e.g. consent, privacy, safe sex, contraception, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases)’.

Catholic schools provide a very clear moral framework and perspective that guides the treatment of these topics in schools.

A Catholic curriculum document

Teachers are helped to teach the PDHPE syllabuses from a Catholic perspective using two separate publications – one for primary and one for secondary – called Towards Wholeness (see page 5). These have been published by the NSW Catholic Education Commission.

Sex education is not confined to PDHPE. When appropriate, some instruction may be given in Religious Education lessons and within the general pastoral responsibilities of the school.

Moral principles

For Catholics, education in human sexuality touches the most sacred aspects of reality: healthy growth to maturity; the development of loving relationships that contribute to this; and the creation of human life.

For this reason, Catholic schools work on the principle that sexual information and moral principles should be integrated. In instructing their students in these sensitive areas, Catholic school teachers have a serious responsibility to provide information, interpretation and advice in ways that are consistent with Catholic teaching.

Sex education in the home

Here are five ideas for parents to consider when developing their own family approach to sex education.

1. The most effective education in human sexuality begins at home. Here the child observes the parents’ positive attitude to the human body and their demonstration of courtesy and deep affection towards each other and their children.
2. Children should learn that their sexuality is a great gift from God. Its appropriate use is part of God’s plan for the human race.
3. Children’s natural curiosity and questions about the human body should be responded to willingly and calmly, with their level of maturity in mind.
4. Children should be given correct names for their various parts of their bodies. These terms are not ‘rude’ or ‘dirty’. Children can be shown how to use them in an appropriate way.
5. When speaking with children about sexuality, it is important to link biological information with such Christian values as respect for human life and dignity, love and family, responsibility and faithfulness.

Earlier this year, Federal Parliament heard a proposal from a government backbencher that a comprehensive sex education program should be made compulsory in all Australian schools.

The proposal sought to link this requirement to government funding of individual schools, with particular focus on contraception. While this suggestion was not adopted by the government, it did raise the question of what kind of sex education is appropriate in Catholic schools.

« Return to student support article topic