School leaders and boards are legally required to make sure their places of learning are safe, inclusive and free from racism, discrimination, and bullying.
Your school has done everything it is required to do to “create a safe and inclusive culture where diversity is valued and all learners/ākonga and staff, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+, are disabled, have learning support needs, are neurodiverse, or from diverse ethnic communities”.
Schools and kura have the flexibility to design their own local curriculum, guided by the national curriculum. This means that while Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) is guided by the national curriculum, it will differ from school to school.
There will be differences of views in communities and the decisions taken by schools following consultation with their parental community will be based on the majority consensus.
Under the Education and Training Act 2020, schools have a legal obligation to consult with their communities at least every two years. This means that learning reflects the specific values and needs of students, parents and whānau within the school community. It also provides an opportunity for parents to raise any concerns or ask questions about the focus of the RSE and enables parents to talk with their children about the content covered at the same time it is being taught at school.
Under the Education and Training Act 2020, parents and caregivers also have the right to withdraw their child from RSE by written request to the school. Principals must make sure the student is released from the class and supervised during that time.
Iona Holsted | Te Tumu Whakarae mō te Mātauranga | Secretary for Education
Education.govt.nz Te Tari o te Tumu Whakarae mō te Mātaura nga | Office of the Secretary for Education
Ka kite anō,
Angela