I began a petition today. I was only allowed to write 500 words about it on the petition so here's more information about why I did it.
I'd very much like parliament to hear the concerns of worried parents across UK who've recently been told that the already inappropriate "All About me" programme is to roll out "self-touching" lessons to children six years old and upwards - the pertinent words in that sentence being "children" - according to accounts in our media this "programme" is in 241 Warwickshire schools and if not investigated and / or curtailed, is set to spread more widely next year to include other counties across the UK.
Tory MP David Davies has reportedly said: ‘I and many other parents would be furious at completely inappropriate sexual matters being taught to children as young as six. These classes go way beyond the guidance the Government is producing and are effectively sexualising very young children.’
Had I any access at all to Mr. Davies, I'd be asking him this question: "if these classes go way beyond government guidelines, who is in charge of reining these people in, and why aren't they doing this urgently on behalf of frantically worried parents? Is your government prepared to be held responsible for any consequences of such rampant negligence, and for such a distant and vague, hands-off-the-wheel approach to our children's safety?"
The human brain is still developing until around the age 25. Therefore, asking a ten to twelve year old to make life-altering decisions about taking hormones is ludicrous, and often irreversibly damaging - yet we already have this being encouraged in schools without parental consent. Things are already out of control with our teenagers, and now we hear that children of six and seven are to become prey to yet more out-of-control "programme makers", who conveniently do not come under the close scrutinies and vetting procedures of our teachers.
Teens and children younger than ten are extremely malleable/vulnerable/impressionable to adult suggestions. They should be able to trust the adults around them to give them the space they need to develop in as natural a way as possible, without interference, in their own time, which is different for every one of us; and those different sensibilities need to be respected rather than trampled upon by such totalitarian programmes which are clearly masquerading as quasi-liberal advances, but which are stealing away that priceless and precious and very short time in life of innocence and care-free childhood.
One of the programme’s authors, education consultant Jonny Hunt, hitting back at critics of the programme allegedly said: “However uncomfortable adults may find it, children of all ages will self-stimulate from time to time.” OK, if a few children do this at a very young age, then they're self-discovering in a natural way, and need clearly need no help or encouragement from anyone. All they need to be told is "you can talk to us about anything at all" from their parents. It is NOT a school teacher matter, it's a family matter. For schools to be involved in when a child becomes sexually active, for adults in the education system to be indulging in discussions about masturbation with children as young as six, is state over-reach to the point of pimping/seducing/corrupting these children with malice of forethought - and reciprocally, Mr. Jonny Hunt, I'm very sorry if some adults find that offensive, but the authors of this horrific idea seem to have forgotten that these are our children, not theirs. They also seem to have forgotten they have absolutely no right to decide these things without first seeking parental consent. Schools are not buildings full of products for social engineers to play with; we can only speculate as to the motivation of programme initiators.
To alert children to all of these things when their mind and/or bodies are not ready would obviously be stressful, confusing, and would potentially be an extreme source of anxiety for any child who is still by definition "a child". Children are vulnerable. To fob off criticism by saying "adults might find it offensive" is beyond ignorance or arrogance; it's state sponsored intimidation and bullying to social engineer our children into sexualised mini-adults without our consent. Our doctors and psychiatrists have acknowledged the increased cases of sex addiction in society. If a substance is addictive, do you start showing it to children in the playground to "start them early" or to "let them get a taste for it"? Would schools introduce alcohol classes classes to six year olds, just because a few neglected children begin drinking alcohol far too soon for their tiny bodies to be able to cope? What about sending them out to a bingo hall at four as well? Might as well have the whole set of addictions by the time they're ten.
Seriously though, and it doesn't get more serious than this, if you think the people objecting to this are "from a different era and don't understand", you'd be right. Many of us grew up in a far more permissive era altogether, not at all the uptight, shallow, anxious, hate-filled serially offended "Mummy will you drive me to school" era we're living in now. But I'll tell you one thing we enjoyed to the fullest back then: a childhood. To knowingly steal this time of innocence from today's children, whilst understanding that it's the most precious gift we can give them, is pre-meditated child abuse in my opinion. I'm not the only person thinking this.
I've discussed this with countless neighbours and friends who all agree with me and are all as angry as I am. I cried when I read about this programme and it really was the last straw. That's why I urge everyone who shares my fears for our children to please sign this petition. It's pretty impossible to put a cat back in a bag, but we need to try to undo at least some of the insanity that's going on in our schools. We need to try to dial down the interference in our children's behaviour. We need to be present at every decision-making process when these things are being touted by whichever dubious "think tank" dreams them up. We need to be listened to. We need to be heard. We need answers to the many questions this alarming information has inevitably raised about child safety in our schools. We need to unite against pressure groups attracted to working in our schools, which might not have our children's best interests at heart, to put it mildly.
PLEASE SIGN MY PETITION HERE: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/274897/sponsors/new?token=cFkenPtYP4J5DHKxosYM
Here's a link to a report about the "All About Me" programme:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7490415/Children-young-SIX-given-compulsory-self-touching-lessons.html
