ST. CHARLES, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- House Bill 5188 would require Illinois public schools to teach “age appropriate” sex education beginning in kindergarten.
The measure would amend the current state law, which allows entire districts to abstain from the National Sex Education Standards, to only allow individual students or their parents to opt out of the curriculum.
During Monday night’s school board meeting, St. Charles school board president Heidi Fairgrieve took a moment to voice the district’s opposition to the measure.
“Our view was to keep this type of education optional or stay within a local control type of situation,” said Fairgrieve.
HB 5188 was approved by the Illinois House last year and is currently sitting before the state Senate, which is why Fairgrieve encouraged anyone with an interest in the bill to reach out to their local leaders.
“They should and can reach out to one of the senators for our respective D303 school community,” she said. “Our Illinois senators are Don DeWitte, Linda Holmes and Karina Villa.”
District 303 Superintendent Paul Gordon noted most school districts in Illinois do not include the National Sex Education Standards in their curriculum.
“Just as a data point, 70% of school districts have opted out of implementing for this school year,” Gordon said.
Both the Large Unit District Association and the Illinois Association of School Boards have come out against the bill.
“IASB has worked in good faith with stakeholders on sex ed standards and curriculum for several years”, the organization said in a call-to-action.
“Previous sex ed bills focused on content of curriculum while still preserving local control around the decision to offer sex ed to all students. HB 5188 removes that local option and MANDATES the national sex ed curriculum standards for all schools.”
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