As you probably know, I'm not a full-time blogger.  It's just something I do for fun.  I'm actually a teacher, a kindergarten teacher to be exact.  So, it was with great interest that I read about yesterday's hearing to start sex education in kindergarten.  I was wondering what they would possibly teach 5 year olds.  Representative Lisa Baldelli-Hunt had the same question, but in my opinion, the answer was not complete or satisfactory:

The bill requires that school districts adopt curriculums on human development and sexuality that are “age appropriate, medically accurate, culturally sensitive and respect community values,” that make clear that abstinence is the “only sure way to avoid pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases” but also provide information about the “health benefits and side effects of all contraceptives and barrier methods as a means to prevent pregnancy.”

When Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, D-Woonsocket, asked Walsh what she would deems age appropriate material for a kindergartner, Walsh deferred the question to Dr. Midge Sabatini, of the Department of Health, who said that instruction would include topics such as hygiene, the potential dangers of talking to strangers, family values, family roles and “cultural diversity.”

     It seems like a very broad explanation, and quite frankly, it seems very likely that schools can and will over-step their bounds.  Sex  education is valuable for children in high school and middle school, but I strongly question having a sex education curriculum for children in younger grades.  I can see the value in parents gradually introducing information to young children, but this is a parent's responsibility to make that choice, not the schools.  Children must attend school, and many families cannot afford private schools and have no option except public schools.  Forcing them to subject their children to sex education they may find inappropriate is unacceptable.  Deciding how a child is raised should be left up to parents, not school departments.



http://www.projo.com/generalassembly/sex_education_hearing_03-26-09_SSDQGDK_v15.3862010.html