Warning: Comprehensive Sex Ed Returning to Springfield
 
Warning: Comprehensive Sex Ed Returning to Springfield
Written By Laurie Higgins   |   04.09.13
Reading Time: 4 minutes
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Our relentless “progressive” lawmakers hell-bent on the early sexualization of children and the exploitation of public schools to normalize homosexuality have re-introduced the comprehensive sex ed bill (HB 2675), which if passed will foist on all schools the kind of sex ed program recently adopted by the Chicago Public Schools.

Chicago Public Schools Controversial Comprehensive Sex Ed Plan

Several weeks ago, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) unveiled its troubling new plan to further usurp parental rights while promoting “progressive” beliefs about sexuality to children—starting in kindergarten.  Yes, you heard that right. Not only do kindergartners need to start learning about sex, but they need to start learning about it from government employees. Parents are being deceived into believing that “progressive” educrats, whose ideas and socio-political goals are shaped by organizations like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and Planned Parenthood, know better than parents do about what their children need to know and when.

Last year I warned about a powerful coalition of organizations dedicated to eradicating moral norms regarding sexuality that had announced its plan to nationalize comprehensive sex ed, thus destroying the last vestige of local control. The comprehensive sex ed bill and CPS comprehensive sex ed plan embody the same ideas espoused in the National Sexuality Education Standards.

“Progressives” in public school are deceitful. Knowing how controversial this curriculum will be, CPS educrats whitewashed the curriculum with ambiguity and buffed it to a shiny glow with a patina of legislative credibility.

The CPS announcement cunningly implied that the new “sexual health education policy” aligns with state law. The announcement on the CPS website states that the curriculum “follows proposals that have been introduced in the state Legislature that aim to modernize Illinois’ sex education law and create a standard for sexual health education courses.” This statement is technically accurate, but to be even more rigorously accurate, it should have stated that “the curriculum follows a bill that was proposed and failed in the legislature.”

The CPS is trying to gussy up their mission to sexualize young children and undermine traditional views of homosexuality by using vague language about “accuracy” and “appropriateness.” Remember, however, when it comes to sexuality, there’s very little that the Left believes is inappropriate.

Public statements on this newly adopted sex ed plan for Chicago Public Schools have been long on generalities and short on specifics. CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett stated that “students of all ages” should receive “appropriate information so they can make healthy choices in regards to their social interactions, behaviors and relationships” and that the new “sexual health education policy” will help students “build a foundation of knowledge.”

As mentioned earlier, what “progressive” comprehensive sex ed promoters deem “appropriate” is often wildly inappropriate. Teaching five year-olds that families headed by two homosexual men are equivalent to families headed by a mother and a father is appropriate to them. Allowing gender-confused little boys to cross-dress and use girl’s restrooms is appropriate to them. And reading picture books to first-graders that positively portray men kissing men romantically is appropriate.

The CPS press release explained that “younger students in this group will focus on the family [and] feelings.” Parents should be alarmed whenever a school administrator issues a statement of such obvious ambiguity. Use your imaginations. What might a sex ed discussion on “family” and “feelings” actually address? It is likely that starting in kindergarten, not only will children will be introduced to disordered family structures (i.e., families headed by homosexuals) and told they are normal and good, but they will also be introduced to the idea that “gender” is constructed by society. This paves the way for teaching kids positively about gender-confusion (and cross-dressing), which will likely take place in grades 3-5.

It is not the obligation of public schools to teach about every sexuality-related phenomenon that exists, and it neither the obligation nor the right of public schools to affirm every phenomenon, including phenomenon like homosexual relationships that many believe are immoral. Every parent should opt their child out of all sex ed classes. Teach your kids about sexuality at home. Those who will be teaching these classes will not be experts in child development, psychology, ethics/morality, theology, and biology—all of which subjects are critical to education on sexual health. Those who teach sex ed will, however, have been inculcated with non-factual “progressive” beliefs about sexuality, beliefs that are awash in ignorance.

The CPS will not be alone, at least not if our “progressive” lawmakers have anything to say about it.

Comprehensive Sex Ed Bill Just Won’t Die

New bill number (HB 2675), same lousy content. Let’s just call it the Zombie Bill—rotten on the inside but still shuffling about trying to infect society.

Currently any school district in IL that wants to use a comprehensive sex ed curriculum is free to do so and according to one source, approximately 60 percent do so. And they use comprehensive sex ed curricula even in the absence of research-based evidence proving that comprehensive sex ed curricula do a better job at reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies, which were the problems the original bill’s sponsor (Senator Heather Steans) cited as the reasons her bill was needed.

“Choice,” the mantra of the Left, is exactly what our “progressive” lawmakers seek to take away from every Illinois community when it comes to sexuality education. Our Leftist lawmakers in Springfield want to force comprehensive sex ed curricula on every community while never providing a shred of evidence proving that comprehensive sex ed will solve the problems Sen. Steans originally introduced her bill to solve.

Constituents should demand their representatives provide substantive and satisfying answers to these questions:

  • Precisely why do you believe this legislation is necessary?
  • Do you have research that proves typical comprehensive sex ed curricula solve the problems you see within the adolescent population?
  • Can you provide research proving that comprehensive sex ed curricula are more effective than abstinence curricula in delaying age of initial sexual encounter (i.e., intercourse)?
  • Can you provide research proving that comprehensive sex ed curricula are more effective than abstinence curricula in reducing the numbers of sexual partners during adolescence?
  • Can you provide research proving that comprehensive sex ed curricula are more effective than abstinence curricula in reducing the number of STDs and STIs?
  • Can you provide research proving that comprehensive sex ed curricula are more effective than abstinence curricula in reducing the numbers of teen pregnancies?
  • Can you provide research proving that comprehensive sex ed curricula are more effective than abstinence curricula in reducing the numbers of teen abortions?
  • Can you provide research proving that students who have been taught in classes that use comprehensive sex ed curricula are more knowledgeable about STDs and STIs than students who have been taught in classes that use abstinence curricula?

Take ACTION:   Click HERE to send an email or a fax to your state representative to ask them to vote NO to the “comprehensive” sex education mandate in Illinois.  Unless and until your representatives satisfactorily answer these questions, urge them to vote no on HB 2675.

For more on comprehensive sex ed, click here , here , here.

 


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Laurie Higgins
Laurie Higgins was the Illinois Family Institute’s Cultural Affairs Writer in the fall of 2008 through early 2023. Prior to working for the IFI, Laurie worked full-time for eight years...
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