California Sets New Sex Ed Guide Lines

The California State Board of Education has decided that 5^th graders should start learning about STD’s. This decision comes just days after a new study was released saying that 1 in 4 girls between the ages of 13 and 19 have an STD in this country. The past California standards for sex education were that all info had to be “medically accurate, objective and respectful of gay and lesbian youth.” The new standards will not only present information but teach our states 6 million students necessary information for safe behavior.

The guidelines are quite clear: fifth graders will learn about STDs, and middle school teachers will talk about rape and sexual assault, and in high school the curriculum includes information about condoms and the morning after pill.

This decision by the state school board did not come lightly, for it came after two years of discussion on the topic. The new education curriculum will be rolled into already exciting classes on health, drugs, and violence.

Given the new study that reported that 25% of teenage girls in this country have an SDT, are these new sex ed guide lines a good thing? Are they going to teach kids ways to protect themselves from getting hurt? Or are we giving kids bad ideas?...where young...what do we think? All comments on the issue are welcome!