Romania’s ruling coalition fails to agree on sex education in schools

Romania’s Senate, on June 22, rejected the President’s request for a second vote on a rather conservatory law that regulates the sex education discipline in schools.

An ad-hoc majority formed by the Social Democrats (PSD), radicals (AUR) and Liberals (PNL) rejected the request to review once again the content of the law - that defines the discipline as “education for health” and provisions an opt-in clause in contrast to the “sex education” and opt-out clause advocated by the reformist USR PLUS.

Liberal leader Ludovic Orban admitted once again that “there is no agreement among the ruling party’s coalition on this issue,” according toBursa.ro.

Senate’s speaker Anca Dragu (USR PLUS) said that she would like to see the project on sex education in schools in another form, making clear that she does not support it and will not vote in plenary, as it “does not help children and young people nowadays,” G4media.ro reported.

One of the big problems with the law under debate, irrespective of the version, is that it does not define in any way the limitations or the content of the curricula - leaving the door open to various interpretations.

(Photo source: Svetlanaz/Dreamstime.com)