Comprehensive sex education (CSE) exposes children to extensive information about sexuality and life approaches ahead of previously and well-established sexual and developmental milestones. CSE represents many different curricula. All of these CSE curricula present too much too soon and, in fact, represent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).1 In addition, there is no evidence that they produce the presumed desired result.2
K-12 Standards for Optimal Sexual Development
This set of standards, designed to develop curricula, is endorsed by more than ninety health and education professionals and organizations, based on 2 years of collaborate research reinforced by over 250 references. It has now been adopted by the state of Texas as a guide for school districts to use in developing local curricula and has been introduced in other States for their consideration. The Standards promote primary prevention of adverse health consequences, avoidance of the increasingly media-promoted harmful sexual norms, and the benefits of postponing sexual activity until a healthy marriage, rather than secondary or tertiary prevention/treatment (e.g. condoms, antibiotics for STDS, or abortion) as offered by CSE. There are four key topics and four grade-level groupings, Table 1 to provide appropriate and affirming education, geared toward the mindset of the different ages of children being taught.
Table 13
Optimal risk avoidance, as practiced in many other areas of medicine, is described in terms beyond simply condom usage and HPV immunization; rather, primary avoidance is advised in terms of shunning early initiation of sexual activityin order to avert emotional risk, prevent acquisition of STIs, and decrease the probability of abuse. The standards also include adaptable learning objective language and choose to slowly introduce information in an age-appropriate way.
As an example, consider this section on optimal sexual development.Table 2 In the source Standards for K-12 Optimal Sexual Development, it is Key Topic 3. The first two of three being Puberty and Human Reproduction. Note that only one (3.A.5) is introduced in the early elementary years. Two, however, (3.B.3 and 3.B.5) are omitted in both the early and the late elementary years. All other topic sections follow this approach based on the intellectual and emotional development of the child. The rationale for this approach is outline in the opening four sections of the standards (Introduction, Distinctives, Alignments, and How to Use K-12 Standards). The design and recommended execution avoid the “too much too soon” approach of comprehensive sex education curricula, which (as noted earlier) is an adverse childhood experience (ACE).
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Threats to Parental Priority in Education
Parents are the primary educators of their children, an idea that has been contravened by a number of “authorities” in the past several years. Most recently, this idea was supported by a candidate for governor of Virginia. Additionally, President Biden’s Secretary of Education commented that parents have no say in what their children are being taught in school. There have been examples of parents who attempt to reassert their authority, even to the point of arrest, and are often unsuccessful because of their approach. Dr. Patty June, a Georgie-based educator, adopted an alternative of the SRA model regarding sex education. Dr. June’s successful implementation of “Choosing the Best” (which is a Georgia-based curriculum) mirrored the standards in her Georgia County School System sex education program. Dr. June’s success came from knowing the details of both SRA and CSE, citing credentials, building networks of supportive parents, maintaining decorum, and being firm with advice for the school board and other authorities.4
Conclusion
In conclusion, physicians can champion an age-appropriate sex education program using the K-12 Standards. Using an evidence-based document, parents and educators can educate in such a way that upholds childhood and provides primary risk prevention of premature or promiscuous sexual behaviors, as well as the accompanying consequences.
A copy of the Standards may be obtained from the Medical Institute for Sexual Health at www.newsexedstandards.org.
