Backlash against sex ed threatens Poland's health curriculum

Students at Polish schools have been able to take a new nonmandatory class in health education since the start of the school year.

The class on health education covers a broad range of themes including physical and mental health, healthy eating, the influence of the environment on people, and dangers associated with social media use and drugs.

Of the 10 modules in the new health education curriculum, one caused a massive public outcry: sex education.

Among other things, the module on sex education addresses a variety of subjects relating to sexuality such as contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual violence.

Right-wing political organizations and the Catholic Church have warned of the "corruption" of children and are calling for the removal of the class from the school curriculum — at best immediately.

An ideological battleground

Education has long been an ideological battleground in Poland.

In power from 2015 through 2023, the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party increased its control over schools in the country. A "patriotic education" and imparting "conservative values" were declared overarching priorities.

Elected in late 2023, the coalition of canter-right and center-left parties led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised that it would not only restore the rule of law but would also launch a fundamental reform.

A change in Poland's education policy

After taking office, Tusk's education minister, Barbara Nowacka, not only increased teachers' salaries as promised in the run-up to the election: She also revised the school curriculum.

The new health education class — which replaced the family life education class taught while PiS was in office — came to symbolize this change in Poland's education policy.

As with family life education, the new health education class is not compulsory.

Pastoral letter from Poland's bishops

Right-wing conservatives in Poland — especially PiS — have been up in arms about the new class, and they have the backing of the Catholic Church.

In a pastoral letter dated May 2025, Polish bishops accused Tusk's government of "wanting to eroticize and corrupt" children and said sexuality had been "taken out of the context of marriage and family."

The bishops called on parents around the country to put up resistance to stop the "corruption of children."

Only 30% opted in

The government bowed to the pressure and decided to make participation in health education classes voluntary and gave parents the right to unregister their children from the new subject.

One of the first to do so was Poland's right-wing conservative president, Karol Nawrocki, who posted on X that the new subject was an attempt "to smuggle ideology and politics into Polish schools."

One hour of health education per week is provided in elementary schools between years 4 and 8 and in high school between years 1 and 2, which means that the class is open to students aged 10 and over.

According to the Polish Education Ministry, only about 30% of students are taking the class.

Attendance is lowest in southeastern Poland, where the influence of right-wing parties and the Catholic Church is highest.

Overcoming embarrassment

Psychologist, sex education expert and author of children's books Tosia Kopyt has been teaching at an elementary school in the Polish capital, Warsaw, for 12 years.

During the PiS government, she taught family life education at school. Since last September, she has been teaching health education.

Kopyt told DW that the new subject is "very modern and has a broad scope" and provides answers to the many questions young people have. "I love these classes," she said. "Health is super important."

She was part of the team that designed the new health education curriculum starting in 2024.

"The students in the younger classes often laugh or make jokes about sexual matters, but I stick to the subject at hand. It's important to teach young people about sexuality. They have to know that it's possible to talk about these things without feeling embarrassed — and without using vulgar vocabulary," she said.

'Absolutely essential'

Magdalena Wielogorska is head teacher at the STO elementary and high school in the town of Mikolajki, in northeastern Poland.

The pride in her voice was audible when she told DW that 86% of students at the school attend health education classes. "The subject is absolutely essential," says Wielogorska, who herself teaches economics. "The knowledge allows young people to learn more about themselves, their bodies and to stay healthy."

Wielogorska said the attractive way in which the subject is taught was what led to the high interest among students.

Instead of just one hour a week, her school offers blocks of classes that last several hours and include practical exercises.

She said the way in which parents were kept informed was key: "At the first information evening for parents, I presented the concept in detail and answered all questions." 

Will health education become compulsory?

Minister Nowacka intends to decide by the end of March whether health education will become compulsory or remain optional.

As the month progresses, both supporters and opponents of the school subject are trying to sway the minister.

"We expect the ministry to make a swift decision," Danuta Kozakiewicz, head teacher at Elementary School No. 103 in Warsaw, told DW. "Health education should become compulsory," Kozakiewicz said. "We cannot allow ideological interests to take precedence over the well-being of children."

'The most important subject'

"Health education is the most important subject in the school system," said Pawel Mrozek, from the student organization Akcja Uczniowska, "We are angry that it has been drawn into a political mud-slinging match by the politicians."

Akcja Demokracja, an umbrella alliance of several democratic organizations, handed over a letter to the government at the end of February demanding that sex education stay on the school curriculum.

"We cannot give in to the blackmailing of right-wing groups: Otherwise, it will be no time before someone demands that we take the theory of evolution off the curriculum," Jakub Kocjan, of the Akcja Demokracja committee, told DW.

Polish right wing decries 'gender ideology'

Opponents of health education are determined not to give in.

The Coalition for Saving Polish Schools, which claims to unite over 90 organizations, has called on the government to do away with health education altogether.

The coalition claims that the subject propagates "gender ideology," and leads to sex changes and, therefore, the "mutilation of the body."

It also says that making health education a compulsory subject would be a "blow to the mental and physical health of students" and would infringe on the rights of parents and the freedom of conscience of teachers.

Regardless of what Nawrocka decides to do, the existence of the subject is only secure until the next parliamentary election, which is scheduled for 2027.

Przemyslaw Czarnek, PiS's recently appointed top candidate for the post of prime minister, is a right-wing hard-liner who battled against what he called "left-wing nonsense" while he was education minister in 2022-2023.

Should Czarnek and PiS win the election, there will be no place for health education in Polish schools.

This article was originally published in German.