Sex education, the House gives the green light to tighten

The Chamber of Deputies approved in first reading the Valditara bill with 151 votes in favour, 113 against and 1 abstention (the Forzist Paolo Emilio Russo). The measure concerns sexual-affective education and informed consent at school. In middle and high schools, the consent of parents is required for sex education if they are minors or of the persons concerned if they are of age. 'Without prejudice to the provisions of the national indications', the activities in question are excluded for pre-school and primary school. The measure now passes to the Senate for second reading.

The provision requires that prior informed consent must be requested no later than the seventh day prior to the planned date of the activities. The request for consent must also make explicit the purposes, educational and training objectives, contents, topics, and methods of carrying out the activities referred to in the first sentence, as well as the possible presence of external experts or representatives of bodies or associations involved in various capacities, which must in any case be submitted to the Institute Council for approval.

The text also envisages that, in the event of non-adherence to the activities, the school institution shall guarantee, by means of its own flexibility instruments and didactic and organisational autonomy, the use of alternative educational activities, in any case included in the three-year plan of the educational offer. Lastly, for pre-school and primary schools, educational and project activities and any other activity concerning topics relating to sexuality are in any case excluded.

Sex education, Valditara has repeatedly observed, 'is important for a correct knowledge of the body and its biological evolution, for protection against the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, and for a conscious management of sexuality'. That is why, in his opinion, it is false to say that the informed consent bill has eliminated sex education. On the contrary, he pointed out that the text states precisely: 'Without prejudice to the provisions of the National Indications'.

The law on informed consent 'is rather intended not to confuse children by teaching so-called gender theories, i.e. theories according to which alongside a male and female gender there are other gender identities that are neither male nor female,' he added. The opposition, on the other hand, criticised the measure as 'ideological' and 'obscurantist'.