New sex and relationship education guidelines are being introduced to schools.

This guidelines are a revision of Sexuality Education: A guide for principals, boards of trustees, and teachers.

They have been refreshed in response to the 2018 Education Review Office report into sexuality education in schools, Promoting Wellbeing through Sexuality Education. 

There are separate guidelines for primary aged children, and secondary children.

For primary aged children the guidelines say all young people need opportunities to learn about the complexity of human relationships and sexuality, including issues related to gender, identity, communication, consent, safety, attraction, expectations, ethics, sex, values, media representations, and online behaviour.

Schools can meet those needs by providing opportunities in health education, in other curriculum programmes, and in many other school contexts.

Schools are being encouraged to question gender stereotypes and assumptions about sexuality, including: gender norms, gender binaries, gender stereotypes, sex norms, for example, the assumption that sex characteristics at birth are always male or female.

School rolls should record each person’s name, gender, and pronoun of choice.

Procedures for sports are inclusive so that all students can take part, whatever their sexual or gender identities.

“Separating students into girls and boys (eg, to line up, for groups, to hang up school bags, for sports and games) is not usually necessary.”

“Schools should avoid referring exclusively to “Mum and Dad” and include other possible family structures, such as families where single parents, same-sex parents, gender diverse parents, foster parents, or other family members are the key caregivers.”

“Dividing students into groups or teams by gender causes difficulties for those who do not identify as either a girl or a boy. Mix up groups and lines and use other ways to form teams.”

“Avoid structuring spaces into girls’ and boys’ areas (including spaces to hang bags and jackets).”

“School uniform policies are reviewed so that all the school’s uniforms are inclusive and don’t reinforce outdated, Eurocentric, and exclusionary notions of gender.”

But, the Associate Education Minister says nothing in the new sexuality education guidelines.

Tracey Martin says at no time will a teacher ask a child what gender they want to be.

She says it’s as simple as a child stating their preferred name.

Tracy Martin says titles like Mum and Dad won’t be removed from conversations – but others like aunty, grand parents and other caregivers will be included.

Speaking Up for Women spokeswoman Ani O’Brien says the new guidelines claim to be “more inclusive” but questions if that’s really the case when erasing of half the population.

“The Ministry states the document is more “inclusive” and focused on “diversity” than previous resources. However, women’s rights advocates claim that in their attempt to appease the demands of gender ideology lobbyists, the Ministry has neglected its obligations to uphold the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights Act.”

“The current resource is not fit for purpose. We need to have sensible conversations about how we can accommodate transgender students without undermining the existing rights of girls and religious students. This should not be an ‘either/or’ situation.”

Ani O’Brien says schools must be open to hearing the concerns of parents. We know from the sheer number contacting us that many families feel pressured to stay quiet on this issue and that is very concerning.”