ByAP Jul 14th 2010 2:21PM
Categories: Family Health, News
A proposed sex education program in a Montana school district that teaches fifth-graders the different ways people have intercourse and first-graders about gay love has infuriated parents and forced the school board to take a closer look at the issue.
Helena school trustees were swamped Tuesday night at a hearing that left many of the hundreds of parents in attendance standing outside a packed board room. They urged the school board in this city nestled in the Rocky Mountains to take the sex education program back to the drawing board.
The proposed 62-page document covers a broad health and nutrition education program and took two years to draft. But it is the small portion dealing with sexual education that has drawn the ire of many in the community who feel it is being pushed forward despite its obvious controversial nature.
Parents appeared most worried about pieces of the plan that teaches first-graders about same-gender relationships, fifth-graders that sexual intercourse includes "vaginal, oral, or anal penetration," and high school students about erotic art. The curriculum would also teach kindergartners anatomical terms such as penis, vagina, breast, nipples, testicles, scrotum and uterus.
"They made this more controversial by adding in all this stuff like same-gender relationships to small children, teaching body parts to kindergartners, and teaching erotic art to ninth through 12th-graders," said Mikal Wilkerson, who has five children in the school system and a husband who sits on the school board. "They even teach about anxiety about sexual performance in high school."
Supporters say the proposed health education curriculum contains honest, science-based information on wellness and allows students to make better decisions.
The board takes the issue up again next month, and the outrage suggests that members could alter the plan to deal with all the complaints. One resident said parents may have to consider impeachment of board members or a lawsuit if it goes forward.
Marianne Rencher, a lawyer who will have a second-grader and a kindergartner in the school system next year, wants certain aspects of the sex education program taken out, particularly the fifth-grade curriculum about intercourse. She said the rest of the health program could go forward while the sex education is recrafted.
Trustee Terry Beaver said he thinks much in the policy is favorable, but believes the public backlash means they should carve out the sexuality elements and deal with them separately.
"It appears to be a strong divisive issue. I think when the community is that strongly divided we need to take a further look at it," Beaver said.
Beaver said his issue with the plan revolves on whether certain components are being taught too young.
Re: Anger Over Sex Ed Proposal to Teach First Graders About 'Gay Love'
weird this is proposed in Montana, one of the more conservative states in the USA. what the hell was the board thinking??? this would even be hard to pass in liberal states such as New Jersey, etc.
Re: Anger Over Sex Ed Proposal to Teach First Graders About 'Gay Love'
I tell you they have been pushing for this for decades now, I wouldn't be surprised in a few more decades where you'd be persecuted and labeled anti something for protesting against this..
Anyone with some morals and base level convictions that go against the current status quo is met with so much rebuke that one day we'll awaken to find religion and values banned and debauchery to reign supreme..
sob7an Allah..
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: Anger Over Sex Ed Proposal to Teach First Graders About 'Gay Love'
format_quote Originally Posted by PouringRain
I used to home school my children also, and I still would if I had the option. I am a huge supporter of it.
I meant to say several people that I know of as I am sure hundreds if not thousands out there do and not just several... I like segregated private schools personally but can fully and totally appreciate why many would opt for home schooling..
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: Anger Over Sex Ed Proposal to Teach First Graders About 'Gay Love'
Time for Islamic schooling to up their standards, I think they will attract lot of people not just muslims. Like Islamic finance, it may become popular too, if standard of education is good.
Re: Anger Over Sex Ed Proposal to Teach First Graders About 'Gay Love'
their so called education is da main factor in leading young teens doing wrong stuff
its better to conceal it , n if they think its reli necessary then they can educate young teens in their late teenage,not 11 year old kids
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