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