Acta Iadertina, Vol. 14 No. 1, 2017.
Original scientific paper
A raising doubts about the suitability of compulsory national curriculum of sex education in multicultural democracy: Croatia’s case
Tonći Kokić
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Split), Department of Philosophy), Sinjska 2, Split
Abstract
Educational policy in Croatia is facing serious problems due to disagreement on introduction of sex education in the national curriculum. This article combines two perspectives in defining the theoretically and practically relevant issues of implementing the sex education curriculum. From the ‘top down perspective’ it observes stakeholders’ arguments which are not in accordance on ‘what to do’ (they are not in ‘practical accordance’). Later on, from the ‘bottom up perspective’, the author observes how practical value judgments depend on silent (unspoken) theoretical (concepts of knowledge and of what it means to be human) and practical premises (derived from normative sources). This article defines the frame of the open question of contemporary philosophy on logical procedures of fair and rational resolution of different viewpoints. When faced with practical disagreement, the author argues that the communication ethics of argumentation should consist of discussion topics on theoretical premises: can question postulates of the opposing side – their truthfulness, sincerity and desirability. While exploring differences in attitudes, this article by default analyzes tacit premises of those who implement the compulsory national curriculum on sex education. The basic assumption for problem resolution related to implementation of the sex education curriculum is in reaching an understanding about theoretical premises, and not in proving one’s own attitudes and ideas of how to actualize the plan. Understanding theoretical premises provides a way to establish common ground as a basis and starting point for discussion. Although existing solutions indicate general possibility for compulsory national sex education curriculum in multicultural democracy, in this case common ground is not reached.
Keywords
Case study; Communication ethics; Multicultural democracy; Philosophy of education; Sex education
Hrčak ID:
190037
URI
Publication date:
15.11.2017.
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