Frank Talk about Sex in the Classroom? Most Minnesota Parents Support It

Sex is a natural part of human existence, an experience almost every human on Earth shares. It’s the part of our nature that gives life, provides a substantial part of the intimate bond in our romantic relationships, and in some cases, can lead to sickness and death from diseases like syphilis and HIV.  So Minnesota’s legislators have proposed legislation that would give every Minnesota student the chance to get medically accurate sex education that is responsive to community standards and teaches individual responsibility.

Introduced in the House by Neva Walker, DFL- Minneapolis, and Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, the comprehensive sex education bill would set Minnesota’s standards for sex education. But some have found the bill objectionable.

While typical critics of sexual health education, such as Minnesota Family Council and Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, have been completely silent this session, conservative bloggers have taken issue with the bill, calling it the “most ridiculous DFL legislation” of the session so far. Part of the bill says, “A school district may offer…family life and sexuality education that is age appropriate and medically accurate for kindergarten through grade 6.” They’ve focused on this section of the bill, hoping readers won’t click through and read what it actually says. The reality? Schools already provide family life and sexuality education at all grade levels. Anytime lessons touch on topics like moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, marriage, family and even the phenomena of twins, those lessons are dealing with sexuality and family life.

It’s absurd to think that community standards would involve education about penises and vaginas at the kindergarten level. Abiding by community standards is mandated in the bill. Are conservatives saying Minnesota communities are too stupid to select appropriate standards?

The bill makes good sense in Minnesota. Comprehensive sexual health education enjoys enormous support among parents. The most recent polling on the issue, conducted by the Minnesota Organization of Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting (PDF) found that 77 percent of Minnesota parents supported sex education that included both abstinence and contraceptive use. Also in that study, 80 percent of Minnesotans disagreed with the social conservatives’ argument that teaching about contraceptives encourages kids to have sex. For the 20 percent that agreed, the bill provides the option to opt a student out of any sex-education lessons.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this bill is that it encourages parental participation in educating young people about sex. Because sex is such an integral part of the human existence, the coming together of family, schools and community to ensure sexually healthy future adults is vital to preventing unwanted pregnancy (the number one reason for abortion for you anti-choice folks), sexually transmitted diseases and a host of other social problems. Citizens of every political stripe should support this bill.