Society
Sex and the Schoolroom
Chinese teachers, parents and legislators weigh in on a familiar debate - does the responsibility for sex education lie with the schools, and if so, at what age should children learn the facts of life?
Photo by CFP/Cover Illustration by Wu Shangwen
For a long period of Chinese history, sex has remained a taboo both in the home and in the schoolroom. When the country launched a controversial family planning policy in the 1970s to control population growth, sex education was clinically equated with contraception. In the late 1990s, fear of an AIDS pandemic incorporated the dangers of venereal disease into the curriculum. However, the mechanics of sex and its emotional importance have remained off-limits to the country’s young people. Now, an elementary school primer on sexual biology has divided the Chinese public and drawn the government into an age-old debate – how much do kids need to know about sex? [Continue reading]
December 2011
Also In This Issue
Advertisment
Sign-Up for the News China Email Update
Every month you"ll receive the latest stories from the most recent issue of News China.
Reader Photo
Badeling Pass | Beijing
Sep 2011 | Submitted by Brian Snelson
Or send photos to newschinaphotos@gmail.com
Please include your name, location and date of photo
Advertisement
