Evangelical churches say 'no' to sexuality education

THE TT Council of Evangelical Churches is saying no to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in TT schools. In a release, Rev Dr Desmond Austin said this is being pushed by powerful nations and institutions.

He said it is being done through schools and after-school programs across the region, “including our beloved TT.

“The council continues to take a stand against the advancement of this form of education regardless of how it is disguised, be it life skills, after school programs, gender-based violence prevention or health and family life.

“The core philosophy of comprehensive sexuality education is the same the world over.”

He submitted that its goals are to radically change the gender and social norms of a society, to promote non-traditional values around life, marriage, and family.

“Its mandate is to establish rights for children as sexually autonomous beings, and aggressively calls for lowering the age of consent which will remove protections from our young people and soften the ground for paedophilia.

“CSE instruction seeks to ensure that children have unfettered access to 'comprehensive' sexual information that leaves no sexual knowledge behind.

“Policymakers from powerful nations believe children are to be indoctrinated in 'queer theory' and transgender 'rights' and will be given the green light to experiment sexually and to access abortion and contraception without their parents’ knowledge.”

He said parental rights and religious freedom to raise their children in accordance with their beliefs are under attack, as it is seen as a barrier to the implementation of CSE.

“Our children deserve the best. They deserve to be moulded and guided by their parents and trusted adults and they deserve optimal health.

“CSE will not place our children on a trajectory to make the healthiest choices. The tenets of CSE, its harmful ideas and instruction is also woven into multiple subjects on the school curriculum.”

Austin said teachers and principals must be alert and safeguard children from "well meaning" content which is disguised to normalise sexual behaviour.

“This is an attack on the innocence of children and reminds us how super vigilant parents and leaders must be. Parents are often caught off guard because the real agenda behind sex education are rarely laid bare, and keeping track of every machination is time consuming for parents.

He said the council comments the stand by Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, there will be no change to health and family life education and no books on alternative lifestyles will be in schools.

The council calls on policy makers and government leaders to be super-vigilant in preventing the purveyors of CSE, abortion and alternative lifestyles from being placed on the schools or curricula.

“Across the globe CSE has failed in achieving its own goals and in some nations further harm was caused to children. Together we can work to address violence and harm and raise the resilience and competencies of our nation’s children without wading into the dangerous and harmful weeds of Comprehensive sexuality instruction. We continue to call on all citizens to say
No."