Precious Life condemn Alliance Party motion to promote abortion to school children
Precious Life condemned an Alliance Party motion passed at Stormont (22 April) calling on the Education Minister to force compulsory sex education on primary and secondary school children in Northern Ireland. Precious Life said parents are the first educators of their children, not the Government.
During the Assembly debate on the motion, the Alliance Party stated they were opposed to allowing parent to “opt out” their children from sex education. The Party said children wanting sex education “must always be the priority” over the rights of parents.
The motion was passed with the support of the SDLP and Sinn Fein by 49 votes to 33.
The UK Government recently issued new requirements for RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) forcing all post-primary schools in Northern Ireland to teach children how to “access abortion”; and teach them that killing babies in the womb is a “legal right”.
A public consultation on their proposals was held last year from 1 September until 24 November 2023. 73% of responses were opposed to it after Precious Life launched a campaign urging the parents to state their total opposition to the Government’s forced sex education programme.
The results of the Consultation were published by the Department of Education in January 2024. A total of 13,461 responses were received with over 25,000 comments. 73% of respondents opposed the Government's forced RSE programme. 92% of respondents said parents/carers should always be informed about the specific nature and content of any RSE programme. And 96% said parents/carers should always have access to any school’s RSE policy and programme.
Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth said, "The number of responses was unprecedented for a Department of Education consultation. This shows the strength of feeling from the people of Northern Ireland on this issue.
"But this was totally ignored by the Alliance Party, SDLP and Sinn Fein when they voted on this motion calling on the Education Minister to force compulsory sex education on our children."
She added, "We demand that the views of the 73% majority in Northern Ireland are listened to, and abortion-promoting RSE programmes are removed from our schools."
Bernadette Smyth concluded, "Parents cannot trust any RSE teaching programme for their children when it comes from a Government that says killing babies is a ‘legal right’. It is the fundamental right of parents to be the first educators of their children, not the Government."
The Assembly Members who voted in support of the motion were:
SDLP
Mark Durkan
Daniel McCrossan
Patsy McGlone
Colin McGrath
Sinéad McLaughlin
Cara Hunter
Justin McNulty
Matthew O'Toole
SINN FÉIN
Carál Ní Chuilín
Sinéad Ennis
Declan Kearney
Pádraig Delargy
Linda Dillon
Ciara Ferguson
Órlaithí Flynn
Gerry Kelly
Cathal Boylan
Nicola Brogan
Colm Gildernew
Deirdre Hargey
John O'Dowd
Liz Kimmins
Philip McGuigan
Caoimhe Archibald
Danny Baker
Maolíosa McHugh
Áine Murphy
Cathy Mason
Aisling Reilly
Pat Sheehan
Emma Sheerin
Declan McAleer
ALLIANCE PARTY
Naomi Long
Sorcha Eastwood
Stewart Dickson
Kellie Armstrong
Paula Bradshaw
John Blair
Connie Egan
David Honeyford
Danny Donnelly
Peter McReynolds
Nuala McAllister
Eóin Tennyson
Kate Nicholl
Nick Mathison
Andrew Muir
OTHER
Claire Sugden (Ind)
Gerry Carroll (PbP)