Sex education and uncertainty among teachers. Analysis of the implementation of the Integral Sexual Education Programme (PESI) in the Middle School Province Institutes in Cordoba City (Argentina)

In Argentina, the 26.150 Act of educational reform sanctioned in 2006 created the Integral Sex Education Program (PESI). This policy aims at the transformation of pedagogical practice in sex education and at guaranteeing equal opportunities for boys and girls, by transcending family socialization in gender and sexuality issues. Nevertheless, given some structural patterns of the educational system that limit the possibilities for adaptation to this reform by teachers, we decided to study how they perceive and implement this reform. Focusing on public middle school teachers from Cordoba city, this paper analyzes general trends on the practice of sex education before the sanction of this law as well as patterns of teacher adaptation to the Integral Sex Education Program. Data were generated by theoretical sampling survey. Our analysis reveals a paradox: the institutionalization of a public policy, whose goal is to increase equity by promoting an educational practice, resulted, in many cases, negatively evaluated by teachers. This article thus considers a typical topic in political sociology of education and identifies factors generating a negative representation by teachers of this public policy.