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Article #385: Romney Can't Take His Mitts Off Human Relations Education

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Republican presidential candidate and education. New Jersey, my home state,
former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney mandates sex education for all grades K
has fired two salvos on sex education through 12. Human relations and sexuality
since July, attacking Democratic are one of six modules of a comprehensive
candidate Barack Obama for his support of health and physical education program.
age-appropriate, medically accurate sex The Garden State mandates 150 minutes of
education for elementary school children, health education per week for all
then going after the broader Democratic students and has a graduation requirement
field for not rejecting the inclusion of of 3 ¾ credits per year for high school
gay-related issues in sex education for students. However, New Jersey law does
second-graders. "Not one candidate was not state how much time must be devoted
uncomfortable with young children to sex education, probably to allow
learning about same-sex marriage in the educators flexibility to address a bigger
second grade," Romney said on September health and fitness picture. Does the
26. "This is a subject that should be Garden State suggest that second graders
left to parents, not public school learn about same-sex marriage? The
teachers," he said. Democratic answer: no, only that a second grader
front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton should be able identify different kinds
shared Romney's view, in my opinion, of families and understand that families
saying that it should be parental may differ for many reasons. There is no
discretion to discuss same-sex marriage mention of same-sex relationships; that
with young children. Clinton also favors leaves such instruction in the hands of
civil unions over same-sex marriage; she parents and teachers. I wonder why
might be aiming for consistency in her Governor Romney keeps up the attack on
views on these two issues. But would a sex education, when it's essentially a
second grader understand civil unions, or non-issue in the presidential campaigns.
even care? First, I wanted to find out if Sex education policies, for better or
same-sex marriage is taught in states worse, are ratified by state
that offer sex education to second legislatures; national guidelines have
graders; Illinois, for instance, Senator almost no chance for passage by a highly
Obama's home state, does not mandate sex partisan Congress. If parents and
education before the sixth grade. The teachers have been able to work together,
Sexuality and Education Council of the must the President be involved? There
United States (SIECUS) provides are numerous policies and practices among
guidelines for comprehensive sex the states from comprehensive approaches,
education for grades K-12. These to abstinence is best to abstinence-only
guidelines recommend introductory to abstinence until marriage. Governors,
instruction on homosexuality and including New Jersey's Jon Corzine, have
tolerance in the early elementary grades refused money for
(ages 5 through 8) and that "two people abstinence-until-marriage instruction
of the same gender can live in loving, under federal guidelines; their medical
lifelong committed relationships." No accuracy and educational value has been
mention of marriage or civil unions; put in question in academic circles, as
those are not the only such well as political circles. Romney
relationships. So, SIECUS, the leading says his Democratic opponents are out of
advocates for sex education instruction, touch with the American people on sex
advises teaching a bigger picture, education. It's Romney who is out of
knowing that same-sex couples cannot have touch; the voters in every state have
legally recognized marriages in some already told their governor and
states. They are not asking parents and legislators, as well as their teachers
children to lend political support for and school boards, about the sex
same-sex marriage. They are educators, education they want-and they don't want
not politicians. Sex education to lose the chance to change their minds.
professionals rely on these guidelines; I doubt they want Mitt Romney, or any
they were developed over 40 years ago, other candidate who grabs the brass ring,
continually revised as science advanced to take that chance away from them.
and policies changed. Educators and Stuart Nachbar has been involved with
parents must work together towards a education politics, policy and technology
successful sex education curriculum, not as a student, urban planner, government
in an adversarial relationship. That view affairs manager, software executive, and
is shared by sex educators and those who now as author of The Sex Ed Chronicles.
historically oppose some units of sex






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