A GROUP of parents concerned about how sex education is being taught in schools are calling for change.

The set of 15 parents have joined together over the last two years following concerns surrounding relationships and sex education lessons (RSE) and have set a Facebook group calling themselves ‘Hampshire Safer Schools’.

Mother of three and paediatrician Dr Julie Maxwell contacted the Chronicle after the paper reported parents’ fury that pupils at Winchester College were told they will not be prosecuted for having “consensual” intercourse.

As previously reported, boys aged 13 and 14 were given a lesson by Dr Eleanor Draeger from the organisation It Happens, who stated that the age of consent “is not there to punish young people for having consensual sex”.

Dr Maxwell said: “The issues surround normalising underage sex and the way that lessons are taught. Kids quite young are being taught ‘well you are going to have sex anyone, but just do it safely and by the way there is a legal limit’ which is not a helpful way of talking to children.

“I was concerned that sex is being taught as something fun that grown-ups do. To a 10-year-old or 13 or 14 a grown up is someone that is a few years older than them.

“You are effectively saying that this is ok.”

The lesson was also told that “biology isn’t binary” during a discussion about male and female chromosomes.

“That is a particular concern of ours that biology isn’t true. I know very well that X chromosomes and Y chromosomes it is very clear apart from in very few medical conditions,” Dr Maxwell said.

“Biology is binary, not just in humans but in animals.”

Dr Maxwell said the group of parents have different concerns, some being Christians and some feminists.

She continued: “We have contacted our own various schools where our children are with varying degrees of success and questioning schools.”

Dr Maxwell said that at some of the schools how RSE lessons are taught have been “changed a bit” on the back of the parents’ enquiries.

When asked about what the hope of the group is, she said: “I think it is around empowering parents to question things. Empowering parents to question what children are being taught.

“For too long parents have just let things happen at school and trusted that schools are doing and saying the right things and that is not always the case.”

New Government guidance is being rolled out to schools, which is instructing schools to ensure that the content of RSE lessons are appropriate for the age of the pupils.

Dr Maxwell said: “The new guidance is very clear on the subject of gender ideology, making sure that that is taught in a factual way and parents should be consulted on what is being taught.”

The guidance reads: “We are aware that topics involving gender and biological sex can be complex and sensitive matters to navigate. You should not reinforce harmful stereotypes, for instance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear.

“Materials which suggest that non-conformity to gender stereotypes should be seen as synonymous with having a different gender identity should not be used and you should not work with external agencies or organisations that produce such material.”