The subtitle for the session was "teaching pleasure within your sexuality education programme."

At the conference teachers were shown pamphlets that said sex talks should include a discussion about pleasure.

"There is a fear of talking about pleasure," it said.

Family Planning health promoter Vicky Burgess-Munro said traditional sex education focused on "negative findings" like avoiding pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

She said research in 2005 by New Zealand-based Louisa Allen showed pupils were looking for a more positive view of sexuality.

"They were sick of being told just the basics ... They wanted to know how to be good lovers, how to get the most, and most positive, out of their relationships."

Some secondary school principals have been left feeling uneasy.

Christchurch Boys' High principal Nic Hill said it was "interesting ground" but he could not imagine his staff wanting to "get in to technique."

"I'm a little surprised. I don't think that will be happening at Boys' High."

Burnside High School principal Phil Holstein, who is also Canterbury Westland Secondary Principals' Association chairman, said he did not feel comfortable with the advice and he was sure his teachers would feel the same.

"Nor is it appropriate in the form of the health syllabus. I don't think it was ever intended that those things be discussed."

Family Planning provides a range of services to schools, including co-teaching, teacher professional development and resources.

The Ministry of Education recently overhauled its sexuality education guidelines for the first time in more than 10 years. Sexuality education: a guide for principals, boards of trustees, and teachers was released in May.

At the time, student achievement deputy secretary Graham Stoop said schools wanted to be able to give students with the right skills to navigate relationships and keep themselves safe.

Sexuality education is a compulsory part of the health curriculum but schools are free to decide how they teach it.

They do this in consultation with their school community and must consult every two years.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: penz.org.nz

The first independently managed Catholic school system in the United States will be run by the Faith in the Future Foundation, created by concerned Catholics in conjunction with the archdiocese last February following an outpouring of support for four high schools targeted for closure.

The foundation's original mission was to strengthen local Catholic secondary schools through fundraising and marketing. Now it will take over the management of 17 secondary and four special education schools, with a total enrolment of 15,000 students and an annual budget of $NZ158 million.

Catholic parishes will continue to operate 123 elementary schools.

The foundation is headed by H. Edward Hanway, a former chief executive officer of the CIGNA insurance company, who said the move "clearly establishes the role of the laity here to bring significant expertise and capabilities".

"While this decision reflects a paradigm shift, it serves to change the organisational structure for Catholic education, not its mission," said Archbishop Charles Chaput, who will choose a third of the foundation's executive board.

The archdiocesan education office, which formerly ran the high schools, will continue to provide religious and academic curricula but will now report to the foundation's CEO.

Turning over the high schools to an independent foundation comes after a tumultuous year for the archdiocese. A high-profile child sex abuse scandal cost an estimated $NZ13.5 million and properties had to be sold to head off a $NZ7.5 million budget deficit.

Philadelphia's Catholic schools have seen a 72 per cent decrease in enrollment since 1961. The drop has been blamed on smaller family size, increasing tuition costs and alternative forms of education such as charter schools.

Sources:

Catholic News Agency

Associated Press

Image: CatholicPhilly.com