This week in Our Watch’s October newsletter, CEO Patty Kinnersly spoke on the increasing media attention and discussion around whether consent education should be mandatory in schools in light of the national curriculum being up for review for the first time in 5 years.
Kinnersly’s newsletter statement and larger opinion editorial argues that while consent education is necessary in schools, it comprises only one element of respectful relationships education. Evidence shows that consent education must be contextualised within a broader program of teaching and learning gender equality and respectful relationships in order to be effective.
She maintains that respectful relationship education needs to address the gendered drivers of violence, be intersectional, and have a whole-of-school approach that means every part of the school community is involved, from the principal, to staff, students and parents.