The Catholic Church in Scotland has reacted with outrage over the decision to issue schools in the country with official guidance on how to teach Scottish schoolchildren about gay sex.

|TOP|It is the first time such guidance has been issued since the massive row 6 years ago over ‘Section 2A’ which eventually saw the end of laws that prevented teachers from bringing gay sex education into the classroom.

Under the official guidance teachers will now be allowed to discuss issues including safe gay sex and where to get advice on homosexual relationships, reports The Scotsman.

The decision has pitted health professionals against religious groups who have expressed anger at the move.

Scotland’s senior health officials defended their decision to the Scottish newspaper saying the current sex education guidelines need to be expanded because they are “heterosexist”.

They also revealed that homosexuality was not included in sex education guidelines written up following the repeal of Section 2A – the Scottish equivalent of the Section 28 law in England - in 2000.

|QUOTE|But under amendments to the Sexual Health Relationships (SHARE) sex education programme teachers will now be able to discuss homosexual relationship issues in the classroom when the new academic year begins in August.

Pupils will now be able to discuss protection from sexually transmitted diseases for lesbians and gay men, how to access sexual health services for homosexuals, and same-sex crushes.

Shirley Fraser, health improvement programme manager for Health Scotland, said: "Teachers felt they didn't know what to say about same-sex relationships. They felt uncomfortable and wanted to be appropriate without being offensive.

"SHARE did not cover diversity issues such as same-sex relationships, so rather than make it heterosexist it will be reflective of the population.

"The material was written round about the time of the repeal of Section 2A, which for some people might have been going too far at that point to address the diversity issue. We now have a national strategy that says we need to be inclusive. Teachers say these issues come up in the classroom and we have responded to that.

"We realise that there has been a change in culture and attitudes and it is now more inclusive."

|AD|Eleanor Coner, information officer for the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, welcomed the new guidance.

She said: "If we don't give young people the right information, they will just get the wrong information. They will go to the internet or to their friends. It is far better that they are given the proper information than none at all."

Susan Macdonald, chief executive of Phace Scotland, a health promotion group for gays and lesbians, said: "After the repeal of Section 2A, a lot of people in Scotland were very nervous about anything that could be seen to come under that legislation and I think it has taken quite a long time for people to get less nervous and be more inclusive. It has taken a long time for things to change. I am really pleased to see SHARE expanding to address these issues."

The new guidelines have sparked major criticism, however. A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland said: "Before SHARE is updated, we should be seeing results in terms of a reduction in teenage conceptions, sexually transmitted infections and abortions. All the indications are that these have actually got worse.

"To quite graphically equip children with information about same-sex relationships is appalling, outrageous and utterly unnecessary. Where was it decreed that every aspect of human sexuality has to be addressed in the school curriculum?"

At the time of the crisis over Section 2A back in 2000, an independent referendum on the issue was organised by the Keep the Clause campaign, headed by church-going tycoon Brian Scouter. In a referendum that polled over a million votes, a massive 85 per cent voted against any change in the law that would allow the promotion of homosexuality in Scottish schools.

Jack Irvine, one of the chief organisers of Keep the Clause, said: “It appears they're reneging on their promise not to promote gay sex in schools. With an election around the corner, this can hardly be the time to rub it in the face of the electorate.
"They pledged at the time that they would consult with parents over any changes to sex education.

"I would question whether they have done that, and that lessons would include the value of marriage. I should also point out that in the referendum we ran against the plans, more people voted against a change than voted for Labour in the Holyrood elections."

Dr Alastair Noble, education officer for Christian charity Care for Scotland, said: "If the SHARE materials are to have an increased emphasis on homosexuality we would want to see them in advance of circulation to evaluate them, because any material of this nature would have to be age-appropriate and other groups would also take that view.

"We would be concerned if SHARE's material showed any significant departure from the current advice which underlines the need for sex education to emphasise the importance of stable family life and the importance of marriage. There's a fine line between providing appropriate information and promoting homosexuality in a way that encourages experimentation."