Educating the Dragon: Sex Ed is an Outrage! right?

Sex education classes in New Zealand are becoming too graphic and kids are too young to understand what they’re being taught, according to outraged parents.

The article linked to above, if it is to be believed then there is mounting hysteria when it comes to sex education in schools.

According to an MSN NZ poll asking readers if NZ schools were going too far when teaching children about sex it seems the response was fairly even between ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Which seems to be in direct conflict with the ‘outrage’ splashed across the headline.

So what is the policy?

TKI site points out that “The Education Standards Act 2001 repealed sections 105C and 105D of the Education Act 1964. School boards of every state school must now implement the health curriculum in accordance with section 60B of the Education Act. Previously, schools had an option to exclude the sexuality education components of the curriculum.

It also states that:
Students require a range of developmentally appropriate learning opportunities in sexuality education. These include opportunities to develop:

knowledge, understandings, and skills relating to sexual development –physical, emotional, and social;
knowledge, understandings, and skills to enhance their sexual and reproductive health

I think the issue is not the content of the curriculum just the age at which it is delivered. If the .

KiwiFamilies point to the necessity for the school to inform parents that sexuality education is the focus of learning at any given time. They go on to say that a school should inform parents via a newsletter and to invite parents/caregivers to an information evening.

So is 12 years old too young?