Fiery session today in the Chamber of Deputies during the discussion of the bill promoted by the Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara on sexual and emotional education in schools. The provision, which introduces informed parental consent for student participation in training activities on the subject, has triggered a fierce tussle between the majority and the opposition.
The clash in the Chamber
During the debate, Valditara accused the opposition of having spread “false statements” about the content of the bill, claiming that it does not hinder the fight against feminicides but rather “aims to educate respect and empathy”. The minister stated: “You have exploited a dramatic issue like that of feminicides to make propaganda. Shame on you.”
The sentence triggered an immediate reaction from the Democratic Party, the 5 Star Movement and the Green-Left Alliance, who asked for a formal warning and an apology from the minister. Chiara Appendino (M5S) spoke of a “government that is afraid of sex and educational freedom”, while Andrea Casu (Pd) defined the minister’s tone as “unacceptable”. After the call to order, Valditara left the chamber before the end of the session, officially for an institutional commitment, but the exit was interpreted as a gesture of contempt towards Parliament.
The opposing positions
The bill excludes nursery and primary schools and establishes that sexual or emotional education courses can only take place with the written consent of parents or adult students. According to the minister, the rule “strengthens collaboration between school and family”.
The opposition, however, consider it a step backwards which risks limiting educational freedom and compromising policies for the prevention of gender violence.
The consequences for the school
The provision opens a new phase of tension in the school world. Managers and teachers fear that the authorization procedures could slow down projects already underway and reduce the space for teaching autonomy.
On a political level, today’s episode confirms the climate of fracture that accompanies the Valditara management: a minister determined to defend a “value” and “family” vision of the school, but increasingly at the center of controversy.