Scottish government deletes data from school 'sex survey'
#Scottish government #sex survey #data deletion #parental consent #school census #pupil privacy #education policy #Jenny Gilruth
📌 Key Takeaways
- Scottish government deleted controversial census data about pupil sexual experiences
- Survey asked students as young as 14 about sexual activities without proper parental consent
- Half of Scotland's councils withdrew from the census due to privacy concerns
- Education Secretary acknowledged government needed to improve data collection methods
📖 Full Retelling
The Scottish government and researchers have deleted data from a controversial census which asked school pupils as young as 14 about their sexual experiences, following outcry from parents and opposition politicians about lack of informed consent and inappropriate questioning. The Health and Wellbeing Census, conducted between 2021 and 2022, targeted students in S4 to S6 across half of Scotland's council areas. While the survey covered various topics including physical and mental health, bullying, and academic pressures, the section on sexual relationships sparked significant controversy. Questions about sexual experiences were included for pupils as young as 14, with older students also asked about alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and drug use. Half of Scotland's 32 councils withdrew from the census after concerns emerged about lack of parental consent and pupil anonymity. Opposition politicians criticized the survey as 'intrusive and inappropriate,' while concerns were raised when it was discovered that data from the census was being made available to external researchers. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth paused the survey in February 2023, acknowledging that the government 'need to do better' in data collection practices. The recent deletion of all data by both internal and external users confirms the government's retreat from this approach.
🏷️ Themes
Privacy, Education policy, Government accountability
📚 Related People & Topics
Scottish Government
Devolved government of Scotland
The Scottish Government (Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba, pronounced [ˈrˠiə.əl̪ˠt̪əs nə ˈhal̪ˠapə]) is the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in the cap...
Jenny Gilruth
Scottish politician (born 1984)
Jennifer Madeleine Gilruth (born 1984) is a Scottish politician who has served as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Mid Fife and Glenrothes since 2016. In the 2016 Sco...
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Original Source
Scottish government deletes data from school 'sex survey' 52 minutes ago Share Save Katy Scott BBC Scotland Share Save The Scottish government and researchers have deleted data from a controversial census which asked school pupils as young as 14 about their sexual experiences. The Health and Wellbeing Census was gathered from pupils in S4 to S6 in half of Scotland's council areas during 2021 and 2022. Parents said they were not told about the nature of the questions in advance and were not asked to agree that their children's private information could be shared. In February last year, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth announced that the survey would be paused. She also admitted the government "need to do better" in how data is gathered from pupils. What was the 'sex survey' row? Pupils were asked to give their views on a range of subjects from physical and mental health, to bullying and the pressures of school work. Older pupils were asked to give details about their use of alcohol and tobacco (S2 onwards), gambling experience (S3 onwards) and use of drugs (S4 onwards). But a section on sexual relationships sparked controversy. The questions were drawn up by public health professionals, local authorities, schools and Education Scotland, as well as the Scottish government. Half of Scotland's 32 councils pulled out of the census following concerns about a lack of informed consent and worries over the anonymity for pupils. There was an outcry from opposition politicians, who said teenagers were being asked "intrusive and inappropriate" questions. And there was concern at reports that data from the census was being advertised for use by external researchers. At the time, the Scottish government insisted that the census was confidential and voluntary. It said it hoped the survey would give a better understanding on some of the factors which influence pupil attainment and achievement. Access to 'sex survey' data paused by government School pupil 'sex survey' data offered ...
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