Sir, – I was delighted to read that parents have been successful in objecting to the Flourish relationships and sexuality education programme by the Catholic bishops, and that their school has agreed not to implement this programme or use it as a supplementary resource ("Catholic primary school will not teach bishops' Flourish RSE resource", News, June 13th).
The Catholic-ethos school my children attend has issued a similar reassurance.
Given that a petition by concerned parents in Cork city and county has garnered more than 1,500 signatures in support of objective and factual sex education programme and the rejection of the Flourish programme, it is incumbent on the Minister for Education to show leadership here rather than requiring parents to take individual action.
I would encourage other parents to contact their schools regarding the Flourish programme and request that their school awaits the revised relationships and sexuality education programme that will emerge from the highly consultative National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) review which was mandated by a former minister for education.
The NCCA revised programme aspires to being inclusive of all children, which is a central value of most if not all of our primary schools. – Yours, etc,
CATHERINE O’MAHONY,
Ballinlough,
Cork.