Parents dispute sex education in Archdiocese of Hamburg schools

Parents in the Archdiocese of Hamburg are disputing a sex education program currently being used in 15 Catholic schools. The program, titled "Male, Female, Diverse," began implementation in August 2026 after being introduced in June 2025. While the archdiocese describes the curriculum as scientifically grounded and contemporary, the Parents’ Network for Child Protection and Prevention argues that its acceptance of different sexual orientations and gender identities conflicts with Church teaching on marriage, biological sex, and Christian anthropology.

The group met with Archbishop Stefan Hesse in December 2025 to address their concerns. Following that meeting, the parents appealed to Pope Leo XIV in February and filed a canonical complaint with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops. They also contacted the Dicastery for Culture and Education, which referred them to a 2019 Vatican document regarding gender theory in education. The Vatican has not ordered the archdiocese to suspend or withdraw the program.

The conflict has intensified following internal emails advising school staff not to interact with the critics.