Father Outraged Over Compulsory Sex Education Lessons, Pulls Daughter from School
When Michael Doherty, a devoted father from Suffolk, discovered the contents of his daughter’s sex education lessons, he was stunned. His daughter, Sofia, only in primary school, had been exposed to what he described as “highly inappropriate and explicit material.” Among the topics reportedly discussed were orgasms and anal sex — content that Doherty believed was far beyond what children her age should be learning in the classroom.
“I had to protect her innocence,” he said, explaining his decision to remove Sofia from Thurston Church of England Primary Academy. “It wasn’t an easy choice, but as a parent, I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”
His alarm deepened when the school refused to show him the full teaching materials, citing restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of transparency only intensified his frustration. “As a father, I deserve to know what’s being shown to my child,” he insisted.
Mr. Doherty later learned that much of the content had been provided by an external organization — the PSHE Association — and included a controversial BBC video that reportedly featured scenes depicting wet dreams, erections, and ejaculation. Though the video was eventually taken down, he felt the damage had already been done.
Sofia’s teacher denied that sex education had been formally taught to her year group, but that did little to ease Doherty’s concerns. “Parents are treated like prudes for asking questions,” he said. “But this is about protecting children, not silencing parents.”
After weeks of heated discussions, Doherty withdrew his daughter from the school. For now, Sofia is spending time with family in Poland as her parents explore homeschooling and other education options that align more closely with their values.