A furious father has sent his daughter to Poland after complaining about a “creepy and vile” BBC video set to be shown to his child as part of her sex education.
Michael Doherty, a Christian, engaged in an angry exchange with his daughter Sophia’s primary school in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, after he learned they were planning to show her child’s Year 4 class a video of a boy getting an erection, having a wet dream and ejaculating.
When the dad complained, RSE teachers at Thurston Primary School insisted the BBC Bitesize clip was “suitable” for the age group.
After threatening to remove his daughter from the school on religious grounds, the dad was told the school had consulted parents on the issue and he did not have the right to withdraw her.
Mr Doherty claimed the “teacher’s reason” for showing the video was “so that when she’s an adult she doesn’t go ‘eurgh’ when she hears about wet dreams.”
He said that “as a parent it just feels wrong”, adding: “It’s a really creepy and vile video. It’s over-sexualisation of children.”
Michael, 50, first became concerned when Thurston Primary School, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, announced they would be teaching RSE to his daughter Sophia.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) classes became compulsory three years ago.
The former aircraft engineer asked to see his daughter’s lesson plans having heard of secretive plots to teach children about anal sex and orgasms before they have reached puberty.
The school initially refused the request but after the father complained, they handed over the plans.
Appalled by the BBC Bitesize video that was to be included in the lesson, Mr Doherty attempted to remove his daughter from the class on religious grounds but was told he did not have the right.
They allegedly told him this was “because it is important that all children receive this content, covering topics such as friendships and how to stay safe”, according to the MailOnline.
A letter sent to Michael by the headteacher claimed the school followed the national curriculum for PSHE relationships – but no such national curriculum exists.
Mr Doherty then hauled Sophia out of the school and she is spending the rest of the academic year in Poland. The father and his wife say they are prepared to home-school their child if they can’t find her a new primary by September.
A spokesperson for Thurston Primary said: “The PSHE curriculum taught at Thurston CE Primary Academy is in line with the statutory guidance from the Department for Education’s policy on Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education.
“The curriculum follows the PSHE Association programme of study – which is government funded and quality assured by the educational body to ensure it meets statutory requirements. The BBC Bitesize video was included in the resources but has since been withdrawn by the BBC. The school will be reviewing its materials.”
