Poland’s new school sex-ed program trigger political backlash

Poland’s new health education curriculum, designed to teach young people about healthy living, mental well-being, online safety, and sexual health, has sparked a heated cultural and political debate, pitting conservatives and the Roman Catholic Church against the government of Donald Tusk. 

This school year, Polish primary and secondary schools introduced health education as a new class. The curriculum aims to educate students on topics ranging from nutrition, physical activity, and avoiding harmful substances like alcohol, drugs, and tobacco, to managing stress, recognising threats online, and understanding sexual health, Politico writes. 

While proponents see the course as essential for child safety and development, conservatives have expressed fierce opposition. Members of the right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS), which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, have criticised the program for its coverage of sexuality.

“The health education curriculum contains harmful content, including separating sexuality from love, marriage and family, promoting abortion as a health service, and spreading gender ideology,” said Jan Klawiter, a PiS MP, ahead of a protest in Gdańsk.

The Catholic Church echoed these concerns, describing the lessons as “anti-family” and “gender destabilising” and warning they would “morally corrupt children.”

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka countered these claims, emphasising the protective value of proper sexual education.

“Today’s youth are facing a mental health crisis and are increasingly [at risk of] addictions and [are] exposed to pornography. It is the state’s role to take effective preventive action,” Nowacka told Poland’s state-run PAP newswire.

Despite expert support for the curriculum, its impact may be limited, as participation is currently optional. Dominik Kuc from the Children’s Ombudsman’s office, who helped prepare a report assessing schools’ readiness for the program, warned, “If the government first commissions a competent curriculum, which was very well assessed by experts, and then abandons it and effectively throws it away, I don’t think that’s serious.” He also described the decision to make the course optional as “a very bad mistake and a political own goal.”

The program replaces a previous optional family life class and faces additional hurdles from school logistics.

Some parents, while supportive, hesitate to enroll their children due to packed schedules.

“I like the idea but my son’s timetable is seven classes four days a week so I’d rather he started a bit later or got home a bit earlier,” a Warsaw mother said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject.

The rollout has also exposed gaps in knowledge among some politicians opposing the course. PiS MP Andrzej Kosztowniak admitted on live TV, “I don’t know, I don’t remember. I was never interested in it, I admit,” when asked about the difference between a woman’s period and ovulation. Ireneusz Raś of the Polish People’s Party similarly declined to comment on sexual health topics.

The full picture of uptake will emerge after Sept. 25, the deadline for parents to opt their children out. Following a one-year trial, Nowacka told RMF FM radio on September 3 that the education ministry intends to make health education mandatory.

By Sabina Mammadli