Will the fall of the government on Wednesday call into question the application of this program? Anne Genetet, the resigning Minister of National Education, assured this on several occasions during her time at the head of this ministry: the new education courses on sexual and emotional life should begin to be taught at the start of the 2025 school year. Provided for in law since 2001, these courses are provided in various ways and not all students receive these three sessions annually.
This ministerial desire and the unveiling of the program last week have awakened conservative opposition to these courses, which is concerned about the content that will be taught to children and adolescents. Statements which caused several associations and institutions to react, such as Civiise, the independent commission for the fight against incest, which deplores that “isolated but vehement voices are being heard” against this program. 20 Minutes reviews three of the falsehoods or approximations currently circulating about these courses, called Evars.
“I will personally commit to ensuring that gender theory does not find its place in our schools”
This declaration by Alexandre Portier, minister responsible for academic and professional success, before the senators on November 27, earned him a dry response from his supervisory minister, Anne Genetet, who launched that “gender theory does not exist.” This is also what reminded 20 Minutes Amandine Berton-Schmitt, deputy director of the National Federation of Information Centers on the Rights of Women and Families: “gender theory does not exist, what does exist are girl-boy inequalities, sexist violence , persistent LGBTphobic violence, and gender studies that give us the tools. »
The program plans to raise students' awareness of gender-based and sexual violence, the fight against gender discrimination and even homophobia.
“At 8 years old, explain all the emotions to me, not the erection”
This is what we can read in the incipit of a petition launched by SOS Education, an association which fights against these teachings in their current form at school. However, introductory sexuality classes will begin in fifth grade. In nursery and primary school, the courses will focus on education in emotional and relational life. The children will work on “emotions, relationships or living together”, the minister explained to West France. In CE2 the notion of consent will be introduced. The children will also have anatomy lessons “so that they know how to talk about their bodies” and recognize abuse.
-Adolescents in middle and high school will work on other concepts to fight against discrimination. They will also have presentations on contraception and, from the fourth, they will address the issue of sexually transmitted infections.
“The intervention of personalities outside the school must always be carefully supervised”
This is what Alexandre Portier declared on France Info on December 1. The texts clearly provide for the supervision of the people who will provide these sessions. Teachers will intervene in front of the children, who will receive training, Anne Genetet promised, but also school doctors and nurses. As for the associations which will also be able to intervene during these sessions, these will be “approved” and “validated” by the academic directors, assured the minister.
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