Friday - April 03, 2009

School forced to apologise after teacher gives 11-year-old pupils a lesson in swearing.

Should this be filed under human interest or just plain dumb?

Well, betcha most kids these days have heard it by that age. Wouldn’t you think?
But teaching it in school too?  Not so sure about that.  In the history of the world has it ever been necessary to teach swearing in a school?

I keep reading about failing students. So this is how one class time is used? No wonder they’re failing. But they all get high marks in ......

School forced to apologise after teacher gives 11-year-old pupils a lesson in swearing

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:15 PM on 03rd April 2009

A school was under fire today after children as young as 11 were encouraged to shout obscenities during a lesson - in SWEARING.

Foul words including c*** and f*** were written on a blackboard before their meaning was explained to 30 Year 7 pupils in graphic detail by a teacher.

Officials at St Laurence School in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, say the lesson was part of a sex and relationship education programme designed to ‘dispel’ the myths of swear words.

But furious parents say they were not informed about the content of the one-hour class and say their children were left ‘deeply upset’ by the experience.

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: ‘This is a total disgrace. We send our children to school in good faith to gain an education - not qualifications in swear words.

‘Most of the children in that class had no idea what these words meant and have now been forced to grow up faster than their parents would like.

‘But what really angers me is that the parents were not asked for consent and the children were even told not to tell their parents that it took place.

‘They have not even issued a formal apology. This is an absolute outrage and I believe heads should roll for this.’

During the class, children aged 11 and 12 were asked to shout out all the swear words they could think of which could be used as slang for sex and the names of body parts.

Some pupils claim they were told by the teacher NOT to tell their parents about the details of the lesson.

It is also believed that one teacher was so outraged by the content of the class she refused to teach it.

Richard Clutterbuck, deputy headteacher at the school, defended the lesson - claiming it was following governors’ policy.

He said: ‘The school has a programme of sex and relationship education in accordance with the governors’ policy on sex and relationship education.

‘Part of the delivery of the programme is to ensure that the students use the correct terms when referring to the biological aspects of the programme and to dispel any use of slang terms.

‘With hindsight, the delivery of this particular lesson should not have focussed upon the slang terms and I must apologise for any distress caused.

‘We have taken the parental concerns very seriously and we have altered the delivery of the programme accordingly.

‘The sex and relationship programme has been delivered for many years in accordance with the governors’ policy on sex and relationship education and is well received by the students and parents.’

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said it was the responsibility of governors to decide the specifics of personal, social and health education lessons.

He said: ‘Government guidance makes it clear that sex and relationship education classes should allow children to learn, in age-appropriate ways throughout their school career, about how they are growing and changing, both physically and emotionally.

‘Schools aim to equip children as they grow up with the knowledge and skills to manage their lives and their relationships in healthy and responsible ways.

‘Part of this is exploring the correct and incorrect language to describe aspects of sex and relationships, and parts of the body.’

The Department for Children, Schools and Families reiterated the fact that governors determined the contents of sex education lessons within a school.

However, a spokesman added that the content should be age-appropriate.

THE MAIL

Posted by peiper     on 04/03/2009 at 12:41 PM   
Filed Under: • Education • UK •  
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