Belgium is facing a wave of school arsons that authorities believe are linked to a controversial sex education program. The program, known as Evras, is mandatory for students aged 11 to 12 and 15 to 16, and aims to help them develop their relational and sexual lives.
Since Monday, six schools in the French-speaking Wallonia region have been set on fire, causing extensive damage. Some of the schools had signs protesting against Evras, according to officials. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and no suspects have been arrested.
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The program has also sparked protests in Brussels, where several hundred people demonstrated against it on Wednesday. Some Islamic groups have condemned Evras in a joint statement, fearing it will promote “hypersexualization” of children. Rumors about the nature of Evras have also been circulating on the internet.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Friday that he will seek the help of government experts on extremism to analyze the situation. He also defended Evras, saying it has been provided in Belgium for half a century and is the basis of sexual health and children’s rights.
“We live in a country of tolerance, and tolerance means we can have a debate, different points of view, but it can never lead to violence, especially in places frequented by our children,” De Croo said.
Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden also called for an end to the violence and said she has asked the federal police to support local forces in the affected region.
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“We don’t touch our schools,” Verlinden said. “It’s a red line.”
This year, around 100,000 students in the Wallonia-Brussels federation are required to attend two sessions of Evras for a total of four hours of training. The program covers topics such as puberty, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, consent, gender identity and sexual orientation.
