New York City schools will be making sex education a mandatory course this year, taking the decision away from principals of local schools, where it has rested for twenty years. According to Fox News, while parents can opt their kids out of "certain" parts of the course, children as young as 11 will begin learning, how to use a condom and what age is "appropriate" for beginning to have sex. The course will be expanded upon in 9th grade.
Part of a $127 million initiative co-funded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and billionaire George Soros, the sex-education curriculum is intended to "improve the lives of young black and Latino men," according to The Wall Street Journal Metropolis. The classes will be integrated with the current health classes already required in middle and high schools in New York City.
Groups such as Planned Parenthood of New York City applaud the move. Joan Malin, President and CEO, doesn't even think this move goes far enough, believing that sex ed should be taught every year from K-12. But Bill Donahue of the Catholic League protests the move as "morally insane," pointing out that there haven't been any public hearings to allow parents to state their concerns. Meanwhile, reaction from parents have been mixed, with some happy to have the schools handle this part of their children's education, while others want specific information before agreeing to allow their children to take the classes.
According to the New York Times, condoms have been handed out for two decades in the public schools of New York, but some groups believe that having the teachers actually teach the students how to use them will make a difference. Others believe that all it will teach the students is that the adults expect them to have sex.
NYC Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott claims the students are already having sex before the age of 13 and need to be taught how to "protect themselves." But Peter Sprigg, of the Family Research Council, argues that, "What we need to be communicating is we expect you to abstain from sexual behavior until marriage if you want to protect your health and well-being."
Sources:
Anna M. Phillips, New york archdiocese criticizes sex-ed mandate, The New York Times N.Y. Region
Lisa Fleisher, Sex ed returns to NYC schools, The Wall Street Journal Metropolis
NYC sex-education to be mandated in public schools , Aol Healthy Living,
Associated Press, Mandatory sex-education classes return to NYC public schools for 1st time in nearly 2 decades, Washington Post
Todd Starnes, Sex education in nyc schools becomes mandatory, Fox News
Mandatory sex-ed classes returning to new york city public schools, CBS NewYork
Fernanda Santos, New york city will mandate sex education, The New York Times N. Y. Region
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