The primary teachers' leader, Senator Joe O'Toole, has assured parents that teachers will not allow anything to be taught in the new Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) course which has not been agreed by parents.
Senator O'Toole, INTO secretary, said that the programme had been drawn up in partnership by parents, teachers, management and church authorities. "It has been accepted and approved by the church management authorities, the INTO, the National Parents' Council and the Department of Education."
He continued: "In its implementation, all parties have further responsibilities. Teachers must ensure that it is age-appropriate for the pupils in their care; churches must ensure that it is in line with the ethos of their school; parents must ensure that it does not confound the philosophy of the home."
He assured parents that any concerns they might have about the sex education programme would be addressed during the pre-implementation consultation process between parents, teachers and school management boards, which starts this term. This process is aimed at working out a sex education programme, in line with National Council for Curriculum and Assessment guidelines, which is suitable for each school's ethos.
The Department of Education will be offering information seminars to those involved in these discussions at the end of this month or early next month.
The INTO said last month that it had no difficulty with the Catholic Church's own RSE guidelines, which emphasise the role of the parents and the boards.
Senator O'Toole said that, while all schools would have to provide the programme, individual teachers could "opt out of aspects of the course". All parents would have the programme explained to them and their views would be sought before it was implemented.
Parents would have the right to withdraw their child from the school programme and to teach their children at home. He stressed, however, that "nobody, not even a parent, had the right to deprive a child of some form of sex education". He warned against small, irresponsible groups "whipping up parents" and causing unnecessary anxiety by "sensational and scare-mongering stories".