By NANCY ZUCKERBROD, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 42 mins ago
LONDON – It's a controversial idea in a land known for prudishness about sex — teaching kids as young as 5 about the birds and bees.
But with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe, the British government is bringing sex education to all schools in England — including kindergartens.
While countries like France, Holland and China already require sex education, few places demand that it be introduced at such a young age.
"It's vital that this information doesn't come from playground rumor or the mixed messages from the media about sex," Schools Minister Jim Knight said Thursday, announcing that sex ed would be added to the national curriculum.
English schools now are required to teach basic lessons on reproduction as part of the science curriculum. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have separate education departments and standards. Only Scotland makes sex education voluntary.
