Given that we were nearly cancelled a month or two back thanks to a harmless little quip about International Women’s Day, we’re a tad reluctant to delve into the thorny and hazardous subject of Relationships & Sexuality Education (RSE) in our schools, the topic of conversation in the Assembly earlier this week.
We’d never heard of RSE before. But the Assembly met, debated and passed a motion calling on the Education Minister to support compulsory, standardised, inclusive, evidence-based and age-appropriate RSE in schools here. All a bit happy clappy and politically correct, as you’d expect from the happy clappy and politically correct Alliance Party, but pretty hard to argue with in principle.
At least, that’s what you’d imagine. But the DUP’s MLAs weren’t so sure. Once they hear naughty words like contraception, abortion and sexuality being bandied about, they tend to get all traditional and straight-laced. Mention tits and bums that they’d probably have a fit of the giggles into the bargain.
Back in our own schooldays, there was no such thing as Relationships & Sexuality Education.
In a traditional all-boy boarding school, it could potentially have meant something entirely different. But that’s not a cul-de-sac that we’re going to venture down.
Anyway, the Assembly Speaker has been urged to examine an alleged comment from a DUP MLA after a gay MLA who felt indoctrinated at school as he struggled with his sexuality was told that “it clearly didn’t work.”
Appalling comment. And not funny at all. Cancel that man immediately.
Honestly, how can we continue on the path of self-improvement when there are people like that around?