Dozens protest against sex education classes in Belgian schools

BRUSSELS - Dozens of demonstrators took to the streets of Brussels on Saturday to protest against sex education courses in schools, which have sparked controversy in the French-speaking part of the country.

Shouting “don’t touch our children”, protesters sought to challenge the French-speaking authorities’ move to introduce an annual two-hour course for two age groups, intended to answer students’ questions on sensitive subjects.

However, since the start of the new school year, the programme has sparked a backlash on social media and protest calls from ultra-conservatives including Islamic associations and Civitas, a far-right party of mostly ultra-traditional Catholics.

In mid-September, the Belgian courts opened an investigation into “arson”, after fires broke out in four schools targeted by opponents of the courses.

“Talking publicly to children about sexuality can frustrate them. It’s up to parents to talk about sexuality, not the state”, Mr Gregory Bourguignon, one of the demonstrators, told AFP.

The course – presented by French-speaking Education Minister Caroline Desir as a two-hour lecture by accredited outside speakers – is aimed at pupils in the sixth year of primary school aged between 11 and 12, and students in the fourth year of secondary school, aged between 15 and 16.

The course, compulsory since 2012, has until now not been systematically provided due to a lack of resources.

Its aim is to “reassure pupils about the questions they ask themselves at adolescence” and to “protect them from potentially dangerous or problematic situations”, the minister said.

She cited “sexism, sexual violence and gender stereotypes” as examples.

An initial demonstration was held on Sept 17, but it failed to prevent the final adoption of the text by the French-speaking Belgian region. AFP