I work with young people and I would like to add my support to this letter. As a society, we need to give young people information about positive relationships and as sex is fundamental to the survival of the human race, everyone needs to appreciate the responsibilities that come with this powerful emotion. How can this happen, if all we are saying is sex is for marriage? I talk to many young men, whose only knowledge of sex is through pornographic images and DVD's. Where else can they find out about sex they ask? We live in an extremely sexualised society with sex selling everything from cars to newspapers. Why is it that we do not think it important to give information and support to the next generation about how they can protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancy and abusive relationships? Sex should be a fulfilling part of life. Young people tell me they are looking for - Respect, Trust and Love. Let's help them. Clare, Surrey, UK

Clare Witcher, Ottershaw, UK

Ostriches! Ostriches! Deaf as well as blind.
Can't you see It's much too late once the embarrassing but undeniable hormones start fizzing away.( you have to take into account the early developers here).
The basic biology should be taught at primary school, naturally, every year as questions arise, as they do in Holland, where early pregnancies of children are rare.
Years 6+ can then concentrate on responsible friendships
& relationships & emotional development
It goes without saying it must be well taught & teachers specially trained.
The experience of those children denied school sex education by parents opting them out here, appears to make them the ones feeling left out & be more curious to find out for themselves

Sylvia Norkett, guildford,

The argument that sex education results in more teenagers having sex is such an enormous myth! There is NO evidence from ANYWHERE that teaching about sex causes more teens to have it! It makes me so angry that people are naive enough to think teens haven't heard of sex before it comes up in a classroom. Sex is everywhere in the media, and teenagers are likely to hear about it from their friends long before they hear about it in school.

The whole point of this survey is to show that teens ARE NOT receiving education! Where is the evidence that it is getting more graphic and being taught earlier (other than in the pages of the Daily Mail)?! There is none, because it simply isn't true - apart from basic biology, schools don't have to teach sex ed at all.

I think those that say education isn't the solution have a point - the problem is far wider and deeper than a lack of knowledge. But this is not an argument against teaching kids the importance of self-respect and later sex.

Belle, Horsham,

By the resoning of the academics teen pregnancies and STD's sgould have gone through the roof in the 1950's and 1960's when little sex education is taught , in fact the reverse was the case. It is also appaling that they should be calling for faith schools to be forced to teach sex education, that is up to the school. When will we as a nation stop thinking the schools, the advertising industry, celebraties and premiership footballers are solely responsible for bringing up our children. Many teenagers get pregnant because that is what their mothers did, or no body at home bothered to set appropriate boundaries, instead of time we give our children televisons then look for someone to blame when they grow up with no self control. a child is a direct reflection of it;s parents no one else, education and millions of pounds in funding will do little to change that eternal truth.

Uche George, London , England

25 years ago I was in secondary school and they taught sex education at 15 years old, we already knew more than they were going to teach. Over the years they have been teaching sex education younger and younger as there is always a steady stream of stupid people getting pregnant younger. The numbers of teenage pregnancies is increasing despite all the liberal attitudes to teaching this, the only result has been younger and younger sexual activity.

Let us look at the facts and stop this rubbish, you are not supposed to have sex until you are 16 officially so anyone sanctioning this before then should be arrested.

We do need to teach sex education but let us choose a suitable age; I would recommend 14 or 15 with strong emphasis that they are not emotionally or physically ready. To teach this at 12 will just increase sexually transmitted disease and sexual health problems.

Shame on this society.

joseph Kellie, Edinburgh, Scotland

A landmark policy aimed at tackling the root causes of the high teenage pregnancy rate and spread of STDs.
It clearly has extensive support and it is to be hoped that the government will legislate accordingly.

Dave, Southampton, UK

Liberals believe education is the answer to every problem. Children have never had more sex education than they do now. They are given ever more graphic teaching at ever younger ages. And what is the result? - record levels of teenage pregnancies , abortions and STDs. I don’t say sex education causes this unhappy state of affairs but it is blatantly clear it does nothing to prevent it. Education is not a panacea.

Alan Trent, London, UK

I have a number of concerns...

1) Why teach sex education to primary school children before sexuality is even an issue for them? This seems completely inappropriate.
2) What is the content of this sex education going to be? Is it the 'Alton Towers' type of sex education that basically teaches it devoid of any morality? We have high numbers of teenage pregnancies and STD's in this country at least in part because of the way our society portrays sex... and that is at least partly the fault of the way our schools teach it.

Andrew Brown, derby, UK

The joy, peace, stability and strength gained from learning the art and craft of sexual self control should not be reserved to monks and nuns.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

Mr McLean is quite right: sexual intercourse is for marriage. But wild, passionate lovemaking is for all other circumstances.

David Masu, Zürich,

What if someone does not want to marry? Do you have a nation of monks and nuns? Really!

NR, Bristol, UK

The sexual behaviour of other people can be taught in a fascinating way, through Hamilton's theory of inclusive fitness. About their own sexuality, children need to be taught only one thing. Sexual intercourse is for marraige.

Malcolm McLean, Bradford, UK