Teen magazines
are now being recommended as teaching aids in sex education classes as
part of new Government guidelines that admit the magazines may have
more influence on young people than their teachers.
The new
advice from the Qualifications & Curriculum Authority says teachers
should use titles such as Sugar, Bliss and CosmoGIRL! to help pupils
discuss their problems, in activities such as producing pretend problem
pages.
The advice follows a speech from children’s minister
Margaret Hodge to the publishing industry last month, in which she said
the magazines were “crucial” in getting across safe-sex messages, and
suggested the titles might be used by the Government to spread health
information.
David Thomas, secretary of the Teenage Magazine
Arbitration Panel, the magazine industry’s self-regulatory body on
sexual content in teen mags, said the approach was “positive and
logical”.
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He added: “The use of teenage magazines in lessons as a
vehicle to reach teenagers on sensitive issues is to be welcomed, and
is a logical step.
“Teenage magazines are a vitally important
medium, reflecting back many of the issues and problems affecting the
readership, and speaking to them as a trusted friend.
“Teenage
magazines have more than half a million contacts with teenagers every
year and teenage magazine editors take the responsibility to give sound
advice very seriously, whether through features or agony aunt pages.”
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A
spokesman for the Qualifications & Curriculum Authority said: “It
is important that children are aware that growing up is a positive
experience when they will have the opportunity to take on more
responsibility.
“Using magazines and newspapers enables teachers
to engage pupils in a relevant and exciting way to ensure they have the
information they need to make informed choices.”
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