There will be a new subject in schools – health education. The classes will discuss issues of healthy eating, physical activity and sexual maturation. On Sunday, a protest took place in Warsaw with the slogan “Yes to education, no to depravity”. It was attended by, among others, PiS politicians, as well as the party's presidential candidate, Karol Nawrocki.
There was no shortage of voices opposing the new item at the Warsaw protest. – It used to be propaganda, it was different during communism, now it is leftist, which means that our children will be cut off from their families – said one of the protest participants.
There were guests from abroad, but Karol Nawrocki, PiS candidate for president, also appeared. However, the protest participants assured that they were less about politics and more about children.
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– We are here as parents to remind those in power why they are supported by our money and we do not want them to reach out for our children, to nationalize them – said SÅ‚awomir Skiba from the Christian Culture Association. Piotr Skarga.
– We don't see any positive changes. In return, we get changes that we do not need, which are not necessary, and on the contrary – they can be harmful – argued Waldemar Jakubowski from the National Secretariat of Science and Education of NSZZ “Solidarność”.
A new item is the reason for the protest
What exactly is this about? The Ministry of Health plans to introduce a new, compulsory subject in schools – health education – from the next school year. In grades 4–8, it will be one hour a week for four years, and in secondary schools, it will be two hours a week for two years.
– Many children find it quite difficult how their body is changing and they would like to know about it, whether it will ever stop, what it will be like after these changes, what it will look like. That's what school is for, to transmit such knowledge – argues Anna Maria-Å»ukowska, an MP from the Left.
– Covers a number of topics: physical activity, obesity, healthy eating issues, prevention issues, mental health issues. Out of 10 sections, only one concerns sexual health – emphasizes Katarzyna Lubnauer, deputy minister of education, MP from the Civic Coalition.
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Only one and one too many – say PiS politicians. – The health education program has many, even most, topics, such as hygiene, healthy eating or sports, and it is very good, but very bad that sexual education is added, precisely in this pattern of extremely early sexualization of children – says Marcin HoraÅ‚a, MP from Law and Justice Justice.
The head of the Chancellery of the President, MaÅ‚gorzata Paprocka, adds that this is an interference with parents' rights. – The problem is that parents are deprived of the right to decide about their children's upbringing in such a sensitive issue. They have both a sacred and constitutional right to do so, says Paprocka.
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People's supporters are skeptical
People's Party members are also against changes. They say that the time just before the election campaign is not the best time for such discussions, and besides – as we hear – it all still needs to be thought through.
– I would suggest that this project be subjected to deeper social consultation, taking into account, first of all, the parents' opinion, because we all agree that parents are responsible for upbringing, and the school is only auxiliary in this respect – says Piotr Zgorzelski, MP from the Polish People's Party, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm.
Similar voices were heard at the protest in Warsaw. – School should be for education, and the family is for upbringing, and that's the end of the matter – said one of the participants. – We will be able to pass on this knowledge to children best – assured another participant.
The bishops claim that the subject of health education is contrary to the constitutionRenata Kijowska/Fakty TVN
The Ministry defends the project
However, the head of the Ministry of Education argues that not every home and not every parent actually talks about it with their child, the child has to learn it from somewhere and it is better not to get this knowledge from the Internet.
– School is the place where they can get reliable information about their physical, mental and sexual health, about exercise and diet – argues Minister Barbara Nowacka.
The team of experts who created the subject program included teachers, doctors, psychologists and a priest. – This project, which concerns health education, is intended to equip the student not only with knowledge about the process of puberty and human sexuality, but also to equip in psychological skills regarding assertive behavior – explains prof. Zbigniew Izdebski, sexologist, head of the team preparing the core curriculum project for the new subject.
So that the child or teenager knows what, how and how they can and should defend themselves. – There is no better protection against sexualization of children, against criminal behavior, including sexual ones towards children, than reliable health education, including sexual education – emphasizes Katarzyna Lubnauer.
Health education will be able to be provided by biology, physical education, family life education and psychologists teachers, as well as teachers who complete postgraduate studies in this field.
Main photo source: PAP/Leszek Szymański