Calls on school to abandon sex ed teaching

A university professor is calling on St Mary’s RC High School to abandon its ‘medieval’ sex education teachings.

The Catholic sex and relationship resource A Fertile Heart, which has the approval of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, says contraception is wrong, that gay and lesbian people cannot marry and must abstain from sex.

It also says that men were ‘created to initiate sexual relationships’ and women to be ‘receiver-responders’.

Herefordshire Council leaders raised serious concerns last month about the use of A Fertile Heart in the county’s schools.

And now an ex-pupil of St Mary’s has written to headteacher Stuart Wetson calling on the school to abandon its use and ensure that all students are treated with equal respect regardless of gender or sexuality.

However, the archdiocese has defended the programme saying the school teaches it with great sensitivity and the fundamental respect due to each person.

Professor Rory Fitzgerald, who attended the school in the late 80s and early 90s, says the teaching should be dropped.

“I am a gay person myself and remember when I attended the school there was an unhelpful attitude towards LGBT well as female students,” he said.

“That was sadly a reflection of society at the time however with Section 28 and terrible sex discrimination rife in the UK.

“Since then, society has thankfully moved on in terms of gender equality and rights for gays and lesbians.

“The Fertile Heart approach however takes matters backwards and cannot fail to harm all students in the school with many no doubt suffering in silence.

“It is wrong for girls, wrong for boys and wrong for those from the LGBTQI community.

“I call on you as head to abandon the use of such a medieval doctrine and ensure that all students are treated with equal respect regardless of gender or sexuality.

“The Catholic church should be ashamed of itself for spreading such hurtful views.

“Christianity is supposed to be about love and respect.

“The Fertile Heart is a hate filled heart and should be banned in all UK schools in order to protect pupils.”

The school has declined to comment and instead a comment has been provided by the archdiocese.

Friar Bernard Sixtus said: “Like all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Cardiff, St Mary’s High school uses resources authorised and recommend by the diocese to teach the mandatory diocesan RSE Curriculum.

“The content of these resources, including the Fertile Heart programme, is shaped by the Catholic understanding of the human person and human relationships and sexuality, and authentically reflects Catholic teaching.

“The school teaches this programme with great sensitivity and the fundamental respect due to each person as created in the image and likeness of God, as the most recent diocesan inspection of the school confirmed.

“The Director of Religious Education (schools), Fr Bernard Sixtus, who is responsible for the RSE Curriculum, for recommending RSE resources to schools, and for S48 school inspection in the Diocese, has full confidence in RSE at St. Mary’s.”