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A British school principal is sorry after teachers assigned a very controversial homework assignment -- including subject matter such as "transgender pornography" and the definition of "hardcore porn."
Archbishop Sentamu Academy assigned the homework to pupils
By Sarah Taylor
https://www.theblaze.com/
May 20, 2020
The students impacted ranged in age from 11 to 14 years, according to Hull Live.
What are the details?
Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Hull, England, assigned the homework to pupils in Personal, Social, and Health Education class requiring they define terms such as "transvestite," hardcore porn," and more.
The outlet notes that other portions of the assignment included research on subject such as "pornography, soft pornography, hardcore pornography, and transsexual pornography, as well as female genital mutilation, wet dreams, trafficking, male circumcision, breast ironing, and more."
Other topics reportedly included information on drugs, smoking, and consuming alcohol.
One parent, identified by the outlet as "Mrs. Taylor," said that she was highly disturbed by the assignment.
"My daughter is still very much a child," she told the outlet. "We've still got magic elves, her bedroom is done in My Little Pony. She is very innocent and native."
Taylor added, "She was only in primary school last year living her best life, now she is being asked to search for 'hardcore pornography.' ... She's 11 -- she should be doing stranger danger, and don't share your info online, but genital mutilation is another thing. It was asking about male circumcision, breast ironing ... I don't even know what that is myself."
Taylor said she simply couldn't wrap her head around the idea that a "very religious school" -- a mixed Church of England secondary school named for the current Archbishop of York -- would allow such an assignment.
"They're a very religious school as well, so how can they say they are a religious school but condone writing something like this in the book? I can't get my head around it. I don't get the benefit from it, apart from scaring the kids," she added.
What has the school said?
Following outcry, the school issued an apology for the controversial and inappropriate content.
Principal Chay Bell issued an apology on behalf of the school.
The outlet reported Bell was "genuinely sorry" if "parents or students have unnecessarily researched any of these phases and for any offence caused."
Bell added, "I have asked that any future materials of this nature have a clear statement ensuring students and their parents are aware of any potentially sensitive content and will ensure all materials are fully age-appropriate."
"The PSHE materials that we share with students are produced in line with government guidance, the PSHE Association Programmes of Study and the Sex Education Forum's definition of Sex Education," Bell continued. "They also cover the Equality Act of 2010."
Bell pointed out that students "were not directed" to self-research such topics, because "answers to the questions students posed were contained in the teacher-produced materials we shared."
