Senate Advances Controversial Sex Education Bill
Students as young as kindergarteners would be taught sexual education under legislation advanced by the Senate Thursday.
On a party line vote Thursday, the Senate advanced a new school sexual education standard that Democrats called '‘responsible” and Republicans deemed “extreme.”
The Senate approved SB 818 by a 37-18 vote.
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), the sponsor of the legislation, says clear expectations for sex education in grades K-12 would be outlined.
In kindergarten-2nd grade, the focus is on personal safety, what it means to be a good friend, and being able to talk to parents and trusted adults when someone wants you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
In 3rd-5th grades, the legislation mandates teaching of healthy relationships and safety, and what those children at that age are experiencing, like social, physical, and emotional changes related to puberty.
In grades 6-12, standards build on previous discussions on personal safety, healthy relationships, identity, and begins to incorporate information related to sexual health.
Some Republicans complained the standards were written by pro-abortion and other liberal groups drafted the new standards. Conservative Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) called the bill “putting perversion in our schools.”
But Villivalam says local school districts could still include abstinence in curriculum and all sex education courses are optional and parents can opt-out kids from those classes.
Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia) says the bill and curriculum are not age appropriate.
“In the public school setting, outside of anatomy and physiology and basic sex education, this is outrageous,” Anderson said. “If you [support the bill], you are ok with a stranger teaching your 4th or 5th grader what anal sex, oral sex, and dental dams are.”
Villivalam, though, says the bill prepares kids for issues they’ll face in real life.
“In recent years, the news has been filled with reporting on child sex abuse scandals, sexual harassment in the workplace, sexual assault on college campuses, and bullying of LGBTQ students and people of color,” he said. “Our youth see this coverage. They need medically and factually correct information as well as a safe environment to develop the skills they need to navigate our modern world.”
The bill heads to the House.