XXX sex ed law inches closer to passing in Washington
When is the best time to pass legislation mandating comprehensive sex education for public school students? Apparently, it’s in the wee hours of the morning.
After a heated debate in the House chambers of the Washington state Legislature, a vote was cast just before 2 a.m. SB 5395 passed in the Democratic-controlled house. It will now go on to the Senate (Democratically controlled) and then to Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat. When it becomes law, comprehensive sex education will be taught in all grades by 2023.
Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year all seventh-12th grade students will receive the latest comprehensive sex-ed curriculum. In school year 2022-2023, kindergarten through sixth grade students will receive “age appropriate” instruction.
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Proponents indicate that the youngest students will learn social-emotional subjects, offering instruction on healthy friendships and avoiding unwanted touching. However, a page from the second grade curriculum shows explicit drawings on how to self-touch.
Republican state Representative Vicki Kraft reviewed the curriculum and was concerned that teaching fourth-grade students about vaginal, oral, and anal sex was far too explicit. Republican state Representative Mike Steele argued: “We should leave some innocence for these children. I’m not sure why we’re rushing to remove the innocence from our youth. We put so much on them already. I don’t know why we think it’s appropriate to put more, to put such weight upon their backs at such young ages.”
While the Republicans did everything to defeat SB 5395, even tacking on 220 amendments — due to the Democrat majority in the House, the amendments were defeated one by one. As was noted during the legislative debate, the sex education curriculum directs students to go to the Planned Parenthood website. Planned Parenthood has a vested interest in having another generation of kids needing their birth control supplies, STD testing, and abortion services.
Having reviewed the proposed curriculum, it is indeed graphic in its pictorial descriptions of sex acts. Another Republican representative, Robert Sutherland stated, “I’m offended at the pornography that we’re going to be forced to teach our children. I’m offended at what this government is doing to the parents out there.” The presiding House Democrat, Tina Orwall, banged her gavel at Sutherland and advised him to keep his remarks to the policy being debated. As if his concern wasn’t warranted.
While the legislation provides a parental “opt-out” for their children, the majority of Washington State students will be learning far more than they need to know, and the ramifications will be seen in Generation Next.
Karen Farris saw the need to help underserved kids while serving in a youth ministry that gave her the opportunity to visit rural schools on the Olympic Peninsula. She now volunteers her time grant writing to bring resources to kids in need. She also shares stories of faith in action for those needing a dose of hope on her weekly blog, Friday Tidings.www.fridaytiding.com
