The Buzz on the Birds and Bees: A social media and newspaper discourse analysis of school-based sexual education in the Netherlands using topic modeling

Despite strong evidence supporting sexual education, the Dutch national week of primary school-based sexual education sparked online controversy in 2023. This study examines the discourse surrounding this debate by analyzing social media posts (2022–2023) and newspaper articles (2005–2024) using topic modeling. Topic modeling is a machine-learning method that identifies patterns and themes in large text corpora. Among 2,095 newspaper articles, we identified five topics, revealing that while sexual education in Dutch primary schools has consistently been portrayed as beneficial, it has become increasingly contested over time. Newspaper coverage grew rapidly in 2023, with opposing viewpoints receiving more attention since 2018. The 10 topics identified in the analysis of 3,091 social media posts reflected this trend, highlighting polarization between conservative and progressive groups. Debates centered on age-appropriateness, the inclusion of controversial topics such as pleasure and LGBTQ+ issues, and the role of schools in sex education. We conclude that to increase public support for primary school-based sexual education, schools should prioritize transparent communication and direct engagement with parents to address concerns and counter misinformation circulating on social media.