Opponents seek to stifle sex education talk

MEMBERS  of  a  group opposed to the teaching of sexual education  in public schools have threatened the government with mass action   and a demand for the ousting of the Education Minister if the  National Assembly does not  suspend the discussion of Bill 61, a law on  sexual education.

In addition,Platform for children asked that guidelines for sex education being developed by the Ministry of Education be halted.

Abdiel Sandoya, one of the spokesmen for the platform, said that they will give the government a deadline of five days to meet their demands or they will take action, such as calling for  mass protests. They will also demand the resignation of Education Minister Marcela Paredes de Vasquez.

Juan Francisco de la Guàrdia, of the Panamanian Alliance for Life and Family, said that the group would be presenting an alternative draft bill to the assembly. He said that this would focus on teaching sexual education “through training in principles and values, and not through the delivery of contraceptive pills.”

The Assembly recently returned the law to first debate so that it could be discussed by the Health Commission.