Parental Opposition to Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Australia: Associations with Religiosity and School Sector
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Purpose: To empirically examine associations between parental opposition towards comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and religiosity.
Methods: A nationally representative survey of Australian parents ( = 2,418) examined opposition towards 40 CSE topics, by parental religiosity and secular/religious school sector.
Results: Whilst opposition to most CSE topics correlated positively with religiosity, even amongst religious parents, disapproval was minimal (2.8-31.2%; or 9.0-20.2% netted against non-religious parents). Parents with children enrolled in a Catholic school were less likely than secular-school parents to oppose CSE. Those with children at other-faith-schools were more likely to oppose CSE, but again disapproval was minimal (1.2-21.9%; or 1.3-9.4% netted against secular-school parents).
Discussion: Only small minorities of religious parents and parents with children in religious schools opposed the teaching of various CSE topics. Decision-makers should therefore be cautious about assuming that CSE delivery is not widely supported by particular families.