The legislation passed 37 to 18, mandating sex ed starting in kindergarten. The idea is to provide comprehensive, age appropriate, inclusive and medically accurate information to all children. Topics would include consent, health relationships, sexual health and dating violence. These are important lessons says senator Linda Holmes of Aurora.
“Not everybody grows up in a family where these matters are discussed at home and they’re not issues in the family that make these issues; not only taboo, but where there are members of the family that are actually violating children. Children need to be aware of what is going on so they can protect themselves.”
Districts will be able to decide how they teach the curriculum and parents can opt out their kids from instruction. The measure now needs house approval.
***Report Courtesy of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services***
