23005 (2024). Shanan Halbert to the Minister of Education

23005 (2024). Shanan Halbert to the Minister of Education: What evidence, if any, has the Minister seen to suggest that removing the guidelines in schools around sex and gender education is the correct course of action?

Hon Erica Stanford: I note that the National and New Zealand First coalition agreement refers to the “removal and replacement” of the relationships and sexuality guidelines. I have received a range of feedback from principals, teachers, and parents on the current relationships and sexuality guidelines. In particular those who support their revision have shared that there is confusion about the status of the guidelines, that they are being implemented as if they are curriculum, that by promoting RSE be taught across the curriculum they frustrate the legal right for parents to withdraw their child/ren from relationships and sexuality education, and that some content is being taught in a way that is not age appropriate.