Dozens of demonstrators took to the streets of Brussels on Saturday, September 30 to protest sex education courses in schools, which have sparked controversy in the French-speaking part of the country.

Shouting “don’t touch our children”, protesters sought to challenge the French-speaking authorities’ move to introduce an annual two-hour course for two age groups, intended to answer pupils’ questions on sensitive subjects.

However, since the start of the new school year the programme has sparked a backlash on social media and protest calls from ultra-conservatives, including Islamic associations and Civitas, a far right party of mostly ultra-traditional Catholics.

School fires

In mid-September, the Belgian courts opened an investigation into “arson”, after fires broke out in four schools targeted by opponents of the courses.

“Talking publicly to children about sexuality can frustrate them. It’s up to parents to talk about sexuality, not the state”, Gregory Bourguignon, one of the demonstrators, said.

The course — presented by French-speaking Education Minister Caroline Desir as a two-hour lecture by accredited outside speakers — is aimed at pupils in the sixth year of primary school (aged 11-12) and the fourth year of secondary school (aged 15-16).

Compulsory since 2012, until now it has not been systematically provided due to a lack of resources.

Its aim is to “reassure pupils about issues that they may have difficulty understanding”.

Its aim is to “reassure pupils about the questions they ask themselves at adolescence” and to “protect them from potentially dangerous or problematic situations”, the minister said.

She gave “sexism, sexual violence and gender stereotypes” as examples.

An initial demonstration was held on September 17, but it failed to prevent the final adoption of the text by the French-speaking Belgian region.