If we stay silent, Google becomes the first teacher — and not always the safest one finds out goUNMUTE reporter Janet Mascarenhas The Supreme Court in India has sent out a loud warning: sex education cannot wait till Class IX. Children need to learn consent, body boundaries and respect before mistakes turn into crimes. They didn’t …
If we stay silent, Google becomes the first teacher — and not always the safest one finds out goUNMUTE reporter Janet Mascarenhas
The Supreme Court in India has sent out a loud warning: sex education cannot wait till Class IX. Children need to learn consent, body boundaries and respect before mistakes turn into crimes. They didn’t say it gently — they said it urgently.
But here’s the real twist.
When we began asking around, not one parent, teacher or student was willing to speak on record. Not. One.
We want safety. We want respect. We want protection.
But we are too embarrassed to even say the word “sex” out loud. If adults can’t talk, what chance do our children have?
Schools across India start discussing these topics only in Class VIII, often quietly hidden under “moral science” — like it’s a secret operation. NGOs, counsellors, health centres all try. But if the real conversation starts after the damage is done, is that education or post-mortem?
Let’s be blunt:
Boys are learning from reels. Girls are learning from panic.
And Google is doing the parenting.
So here’s the uncomfortable but essential question:
How do we teach our sons to respect women
if we can’t even say “consent” with eye contact?
How do we raise confident daughters
when society still prefers them quiet and confused — not informed and fearless?
Experts say:
→ Teach boys and girls together. Shame grows in separation.
→ Train teachers. Don’t send embarrassed adults to teach courage.
→ Talk early. Talk consistently. Talk without whispering.
Or else, silence wins.
And silence has never protected a child — only predators.
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