The Helena, MT Plan for K-12 Sex Ed

By Phil Boehmke

The Helena Montana Public School System is weighing the adoption of a new health curriculum which details a disturbing sex education program. The proposed "Human Sexuality" teaching guidelines have aroused the community and should make for a lively debate at this Tuesday's school board meeting.

KRTV has provided a link to the lengthy PDF which presents the entire health curriculum as proposed by the district. Pages 45-50 contain the "Human Sexuality" curriculum which has sparked the controversy.

Grade 1

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Understanding human beings can love people of the same gender & people of another gender.

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Grade 2

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Understanding making fun of people by calling them gay (e.g. "homo," "fag," queer") is disrespectful and hurtful.

Grade 3

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Understand media often presents an unrealistic image of what it means to be male or female, what it means to be in love & what parenthood & marriages are like.

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Grade 5

Understanding that sexual intercourse includes but is not limited to vaginal, oral, or anal penetration.

Understanding sexual orientation refers to a person's physical and/or romantic attraction to an individual of the same and/or different gender, and is part of ones' personality.

[...]

Grade 6

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Understand gender identity is different from sexual orientation.

Understand the media usually does not portray sexuality realistically.

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Grade 7

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Discuss the Supreme Court decision that has ruled that, to a certain extent, people have the right to make personal decisions concerning sexuality & reproductive health matters, such as abortion, sterilization and contraception.

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Grades 9-12

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Understand erotic images in art reflect society's views about sexuality & help people understand sexuality.

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Understand sexual orientation is determined by a variety of factors.

The new curriculum seeks to instruct the children that the "media often presents an unrealistic image of what it means to be male or female." Liberals are trying to make sure that in the event that the kids should happen to see any traditional gender roles on TV (most likely in re-runs) they will not be influenced to emulate normal behavior.

Under the proposed sex-ed program, children in the 7th grade would be taught about such subjects as "abortion, sterilization and contraception," under the guise of a "discussion" of relevant Supreme Court decisions.

The lesson here is that parents must pay very close attention to what their children are being taught in school and they must not be afraid to stand up and be heard.

paboehmke@yahoo.com
　