Many schools are struggling with the resistance of parents at Week van de Lentekriebels

The twentieth edition of the Week of the Spring jitters starts on Monday, but even after two decades of extra attention for sexual education at primary schools, this theme week remains sensitive. Published from Monday research Van Duo Educational Research and Knowledge Center Rutgers shows that many schools are struggling with resistance from parents.

The research shows that almost half of the school leaders run into parental objections. More than a third of the school leaders states that this resistance has increased in recent years, especially in lessons about sexual diversity, gender diversity and gender roles and gender equality. About half of the complaining parents request that their child keep their child at home or to get them out of specific lessons, half of the schools actually respond to those requests.

The social discussion about the Week of the Spring jitters was further focused two years ago. Forum for Democracy leader Thierry Baudet then called to the Minister of Education to account for the alleged « sexualization of children » in primary education. Parties such as PVV, SGP and DENK also expressed and argued for stricter rules regarding sex education.

The Rutgers Foundation, which organizes this theme week together with the GGDs, was then bombarded with questions and threats. Many parents had questions about the method developed by Rutgers about sexual education, Creeps in your stomach. A lot of material went around on social media, but not all of this came from this method.

This year, a third of primary schools are participating in the Week of the Lentekriebels. Moreover, almost all school leaders (96 percent) say they pay attention to ‘relational and sexual education’, also outside the thematic week. Four out of five schools actively involve parents in these lessons. More than 90 percent of all school leaders are planning to continue giving ‘relational and sexual education’ in the coming years.

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