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Malta’s Education Ministry Responds To Grilling About Barbaric Abortion Video

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The Education Ministry has responded to Parents For Choice that asked them about the graphic abortion video being shown in state schools, and it’s safe to say that their response was not a satisfying one.

“We discourage such graphic material, however, it is up to the educator to decide what is appropriate,” a spokesperson said.

A compilation video of aborted fetuses being poked and prodded by long metal instruments is being shown to students between the ages of 14 and 15 in government schools, a source told SideStreet Malta.

The anti-abortion demonstration has been taking place during religion lessons by a teacher who prefaces it with a short explanation about what abortion is and why it goes against the Catholic faith.

Then, as a video is loaded on the classroom whiteboard, students are warned that the clips contain “bloody and graphic material”.

Parents For Choice responded to what has been described as a “tool of indoctrination” with an email containing a series of questions to Education Minister Justyne Caruana.

They asked for the peer research used that should indicate that the showing of this type video compilation is educational in some form or another – especially in regards to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

They further questioned whether there is some sort of procedure where a teacher should submit such a video to the education ministry for approval.

They also asked if parents were advised or required to give consent considering how graphic, and possibly traumatic, the material is.

“Surely there is a rating to this video, since we as parents follow these ratings before we let our children view them,” the group said.

A spokesperson of the Education Ministry reached out to Lovin Malta to relay their response.

“In Year 11, there is a chapter in the Religious Studies syllabus called “the value of life” that focuses on the respect towards life from conception,” they said.

“In general, the Education Department discourages the showing of graphic senes due to the sensitivities of some students. That being said, the educator is free to choose, in his/her own professional deliberate judgement, the resources which he/she believes should be utilised during the respective lessons,” they continued.

Nothing was said about whether this video is proven to be accurate or even harmless for 14 and 15 year olds to watch, and it seems as if no research into this will be conducted either.

This is disappointing considering the backlash that the showing of this video has faced.

Parents should have a say about what values are being taught to their children and although no one expects a pro-choice lecture in religion, a school’s main priority should be teaching students how to think critically and reflectively, not attempt to instil irrational fear. 

And since state schools are quite clearly doing the latter, then the Education Ministry should step up and stop students from being fed scaremongering misinformation.

What do you think about this?

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Ana is a university graduate who loves a heated debate, she’s very passionate about humanitarian issues and justice. In her free time you’ll probably catch her binge watching way too many TV shows or thinking about her next meal.

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