Dear Parents,
In recent days, concerns have been raised about explicit content and claims related to the teaching of Social, Personal, and Health Education (SPHE) in an Irish context. We want to assure you that our school and teachers do not endorse or engage in the practice of teaching or sharing inappropriate content, as suggested in a recent YouTube video.
Our SPHE curriculum, including the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) component, is carefully planned and can be reviewed in our policy document. Our goal is to equip students with essential skills for adult life, while ensuring that all content is age-appropriate and suitable for their level of understanding at this stage of development.
We value the trust you place in us to responsibly teach the key principles of SPHE, and we take this responsibility very seriously.
Attached is our school policy document on SPHE and RSE.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Keith O’Rahilly
Principal
Below is an shortened statement from the Department of Education that will also support our position in this regard:
The new curriculum is carefully designed to be appropriate for students’ age and developmental stage, whether in first, second, or third year. It is based on extensive research and public consultation conducted by the NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment) in 2022.
We want to assure parents that the curriculum does not expose students to graphic or explicit content, nor does it promote or normalize the use of pornography. In fact, key lessons emphasize that pornography is not a suitable source of information about sex and can be harmful to young people. It teaches values of human dignity, respect, and gender equality.
There has been misinformation circulating, suggesting that teachers will introduce explicit content in the classroom. This is completely false. Both the Department of Education and DCU (Dublin City University) have confirmed that inappropriate materials will not be part of classroom lessons.
Teachers are supported through carefully selected resources tailored to the needs of Irish classrooms. The NCCA has created online toolkits for primary, junior cycle, and senior cycle teachers, available at www.curriculumonline.ie. These materials are chosen with the developmental stages of students in mind, and teachers are encouraged to use them in ways that are appropriate for their specific class context.
More information about the Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum and the new Senior Cycle SPHE specification, which will be introduced by 2027, can be found on the NCCA website. Additionally, a Graduate Diploma in SPHE/RSE is being offered by DCU to further support teachers in this area.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Department of Education or visit the NCCA website.
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