Cerritos Elementary School at Glendale Unified (Photo – GUSD)
As sex education becomes a topic of conflict in our communities, it is now vital to address what sex education is and why misinformation about its impact on schools and students is running rampant.
By Perseus Parker Piskura
But why, you ask, would anyone lie about sex education? Put simply, this misinformation typically originates from movements seeking to take advantage of families’ concerns about their children. Claims such as “gays are groomers” have become incredibly popular talking points used to deceive many into supporting campaigns centered around hatred and violence toward the queer community. It is necessary for these campaigns to confuse and mislead people because none of the foundational beliefs behind them stem from facts or from a genuine desire to improve the lives of others. Denying equitable, quality access to education has always been a tool used to control people and quell their attempts to fight systemic oppression.
Sex education covers a variety of crucial ideas that prepare students to understand and advocate for themselves. These range from lessons about parts of the body related to sexual health to exercises that aim to teach concepts like consent. Overall, the goal of sex education is to keep students safe and healthy. This is achieved by giving them the tools and knowledge necessary to practice safe sex, helping them learn to identify issues with their health and access the right healthcare, and instilling ideas about consent that will protect them from both experiencing and causing harm throughout their lives. While this education can and should include information on gender and sexuality, oftentimes these topics are not thoroughly addressed, let alone forced upon anyone. In fact, they give students the opportunity to take ownership over their lives and identities, and to find community they would otherwise be denied the right to explore for themselves.
If sex education has clear benefits in creating well-rounded adults, why is this area of academics so contentious? Many will claim that it undermines so-called “parents’ rights”, but it is unclear where these rights begin or end. Why would giving students access to factual information infringe upon said rights to begin with? The unfortunate reality is that not every parent is willing to relinquish the control that their children’s lack of education would afford them. Education in all its forms is a road to self-betterment and independence.
People who claim to care about children and their futures should do everything they can to support them throughout that journey into adulthood.
Perseus Parker Piskura is an artist and writer from Monrovia who loves cooking, reading, and spending time in nature.
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