Sex education in public schools has been controversial for many and uncomfortable for some since the beginning of organized education.
However, in 2008, Minnesota must agree on a sexual education curriculum for our young people. Their health depends on it.
This week, the House added a requirement that districts adopt sex ed curriculum no later than the 2011-12 school year.
Rightly, the House bill calls for the programs to emphasize abstinence, but they would also discuss diseases and unintended pregnancies, and FDA-approved methods for preventing both. The provision would allow parents to pull their children from sex ed classes, which would be offered in middle school through high school grades.
Negotiators from the House and Senate must agree to a common education bill before one is sent to Gov. Tim Pawlenty. We urge lawmakers to consider agreement that would call for a baseline curriculum for all schools in the state.
Clearly, the best teachers of sex education should be parents. Parents should know best what kind of information their children should know. However, that’s not always the case. Many parents and children are uncomfortable even broaching the topic with one another. And that can mean that the topic is never discussed.
Bringing age-appropriate factual information into schools about reproduction and health ensures to society that these issues are being discussed with our young people.
The existence of AIDS and related diseases has added to the importance of sex education. Information about how to avoid contracting the diseases is seen as a public health strategy in some nations.
Sex education in schools will likely stir a response for years to come. But Minnesota ought to lead the way by ensuring our young people are armed with enough information to stay healthy and make informed decisions about their lives. A baseline curriculum for the state would be a good start.