Education Minister Blair Boyer releases list of ‘approved providers’ for sexual health education classes

In the wake of a controversial sex education session where students were exposed to the concepts of incest and bestiality, the education minister has released a list of approved providers.

Education Minister Blair Boyer has released a list of three “approved providers” government schools must choose from if they want to engage outsiders for the delivery of sexual health education classes.

They are Shine SA, Life Ed SA and Elephant Ed.

Another four providers – who Mr Boyer did not name – applied but were unsuccessful.

It comes in the wake of a controversial session in which students were exposed to the concepts of incest and bestiality.

Education Minister Blair Boyer has released a list of three “approved providers” government schools must choose from if they want to engage outsiders for the delivery of sexual health education classes. Picture: Keryn Stevens

In March last year students at Renmark High School complained that they were exposed to discussion of incest (sexual contact between biological family members) and bestiality (illegal sexual contact between humans and animals) during an hour-long session.

It was delivered by an outside speaker engaged by headspace Berri, a mental health organisation operated by non-profit FocusOne Health.

Staff at the school did not check the content of the presentation before it was delivered to a group of Year 9 girls, without a teacher present.

The school also did not notify parents about the presentation ahead of time.

In a letter to parents, principal Mat Evans apologised that the school also did not notify parents about the presentation ahead of time, and said he had launched an interval review.

The speaker was suspended from working in SA public schools and an investigation launched by the Education Department.

At the time, Department chief executive Martin Westwell told The Advertiser that content in the presentation was “unacceptable” and had “no place in a classroom”.

“There is a line and this person went over the line.

In March last year, Renmark High School students complained that they were exposed to discussion of incest and bestiality during an hour-long session.

“Where this has been particularly objectionable is where they’ve started to use language and notions like bestiality that have no place in a classroom,” he said.

“It is absolutely unacceptable behaviour.”

Mr Boyer said the new approved provider list would “give parents and students the confidence that the sexual health education in public schools is quality, based on evidence, and the nationally consistent Australian Curriculum is delivered”.

“What happened in Renmark High School wasn’t acceptable, and while this was an isolated incident I want to ensure it can’t happen again,” Mr Boyer said.

The approved providers had to commit to deliver evidence-based content, have a complaints handling process and undergo external evaluations.

The provider which ran the session at Renmark High School did not apply to continue running sexual health education classes.

Parents can opt to keep their children out of sexual health education sessions at public schools.

Originally published as Education Minister Blair Boyer releases list of ‘approved providers’ for sexual health education classes