Obama on the Issues: Sex Education Policy.
Here is the latest of our installments on Barack Obama’s policy positions. Today we explore Obama’s position on public school sex education. Included is John McCain’s latest ad in which he blasts Barack Obama for supporting sex education for kindergartners. See the video below.
Obama on Sex Education
The ad is the latest attack designed to cast Barack Obama as out of touch with mainstream American values. The ad will be criticized by the Obama campaign, but is it true?
The answer is yes. While a member of the Illinois state legislature, Barack Obama voted YES on SB99, the so-called “conprehensive sex education” act sponsored by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. The act includes a provision for sex education for kindergarten children. It passed March 6th, 2003.
Not only that but he said the same thing while addressing a Planned Parenthood meeting in July 2007, and defended the position during the primary season in 2008. What Obama said last year:
“Sex education for kindergarteners, as long as it is ‘age-appropriate,’ is ‘the right thing to do.”
The Obama campaign and some commenters here are trying to spin the sex education bill as a device to prevent sexual predators. Sorry folks, that is only one part of the bill, SB99 section 4. The full text is here. It is a comprehensive sex education bill for public schools in Illinois which covers the following:
SB99 - Illinois 2003
K-12 Comprehensive Sex Education Bill(1) Factual information presented in course material and instruction shall be medically accurate and objective.
(2) All course material and instruction in classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual activity or behavior shall be age and developmentally appropriate.
(3) Course material and instruction shall include a discussion of sexual abstinence as a method to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
(4) Course material and instruction shall present the latest medically factual information regarding both the possible side effects and health benefits of all forms of contraception, including the success and failure
rates for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
(5) Course material and instruction shall stress that sexually transmitted infections are serious possible hazards of sexual activity or behavior. Pupils shall be provided with statistics based on the latest medical information citing the failure and success rates of all contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
(6) Course material and instruction shall advise pupils that it is unlawful for males or females of any age to engage in sexual conduct or have sexual relations with a minor as specified in Article 12 of the Criminal Code of 1961.
(7) Course material and instruction shall discuss and provide for the development of positive communication skills to maintain healthy relationships and avoid unwanted sexual activity.
(8) Course material and instruction shall emphasize that the pupil has the power to control personal behavior. Pupils shall be encouraged to base their actions on reasoning, self-discipline, sense of responsibility, self-control, and ethical considerations, such as respect for oneself and others.
(9) Course material and instruction shall teach pupils to not make unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances and how to say no to unwanted sexual advances and shall include information about verbal, physical, and
visual sexual harassment, including without limitation nonconsensual sexual advances, non consensual physical sexual contact, and rape by an acquaintance. The course material and instruction shall contain methods of preventing sexual assault by an acquaintance, including exercising good judgment and avoiding behavior that
impairs one’s judgment. The course material and instruction shall emphasize personal accountability and respect for others and shall also encourage youth to resist negative peer pressure. The course material and instruction shall inform pupils of the potential legal consequences of sexual assault by an acquaintance. Specifically, pupils shall be advised that it is unlawful to touch an intimate part of another person, as specified in the Criminal Code of 1961.
(10) Course material and instruction shall teach male pupils about male accountability for sexual violence and shall teach female students about reducing vulnerability for sexual violence.
(11) Course material and instruction shall teach pupils about counseling, medical, and legal resources available to survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault, including resources for escaping violent relationships.
(12) Course material and instruction in classes that discuss sexual activity or behavior shall teach pupils that it is wrong to take advantage of or to exploit another person.
(13) Course material and instruction shall be free of racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and sexual orientation biases.
Obama votes YES on this bill which applies to Kindergarten through high school.
See the video below.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Yes, Obama wants to teach kindergartners how to have sex. Once again, McCain has crystalized exactly Obama’s thoughts on sex education. Except that is not it at all.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton tells First Read: “You can teach a kid about what’s appropriate and not appropriate to protect them from predators out there.” In addition, he issued a document showing that the Oregon Department of Education has guidelines for sex education for children in grades K-3 (which includes understanding the difference between a good touch and a bad touch), and that the Sexuality Information And Education Council of the United States has curriculum for those in kindergarten.
Obama wants to teach kids to report sexual predators. That’s what this ad is about.
I’m not entirely familiar with the McCain Palin sex education policies. We all know by now the studies that show abstinence education is ineffective. No particular anecdotal stories of teenage pregnancy come to mind, but if you give me some time maybe I’ll think of one.
Way to play fast-n-loose there, McCain. Real honorable campaign you’re running.
W
September 9th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
And by the way– who thinks its a good idea to keep kids in the dark about sex stuff anyway if it’s age-appropriate information? What century are we living in?!
W
September 9th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Waldo, are you now on a personal mission to be the first commenter on every single topic?
September 9th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Waldo, I don’t want teachers teaching my kids morals and values. I want them to teach my kids how to add, subtract and read.
I will teach my kids values/morals. That’s a parent’s responsibility, not the State’s job.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
This is very helpful, McCain. The Obama campaign makes you register to get info on his stances on policies. I think that’s very unfortunate because I can imagine I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to register on Obama’s website and risk getting flooded with email requests for money.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
To clarify, though, Obama’s position on sex education for kindergarten aged children meant teaching them about inappropriate touching and sexual abuse.
Obama’s comments at the time legislation was passed: “We have a existing law that mandates sex education in the schools. We want to make sure that it’s medically accurate and age-appropriate. Now, I’ll give you an example, because I have a six-year-old daughter and a three-year-old daughter, and one of the things my wife and I talked to our daughters about is the possibility of somebody touching them inappropriately, and what that might mean. And that was included specifically in the law, so that kindergarteners are able to exercise some possible protection against abuse, because I have family members as well as friends who suffered abuse at that age.”
Protecting children from sexual abuse should be everyone’s responsibility. In my mind, there is no question that no child should suffer this kind of abuse, and you should have no problem with your children being told this is abuse they do not have to subjected to. How outrageous to pervert that message.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
To quote Beth :
” I don’t want teachers teaching my kids morals and values. I want them to teach my kids how to add, subtract and read.
I will teach my kids values/morals. That’s a parent’s responsibility, not the State’s job.”
And a loving parent finds the time to do these things, not leave it to schools. Leave my children and their morals and values to me…wait..actually, they are adults now, it was left to me…and I could not be prouder of them.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I find Beth Shaw’s comments (a few above mine) extremist, uninformed and troubling; warning a kindergarten age child in age-appropriate language about the dangers of inappropriate touch from a sexual predator is NOT the same thing as teaching them values or morals. It is not teaching them to follow a certain set of beliefs (other than that unwanted advances by sexual predators are unacceptable and dangerous, which is nearly universally accepted as true) or encroaching on any worldview or culture. This, instead, is a basic safety issue. We don’t chastise school bus drivers for telling kids to sit down on the bus and to avoid leaning out of the windows. That is not a value or moral. We don’t scold teachers for telling children not to hit each other on the playground, even though that in effect is teaching that violence is wrong (a moral). We instead appreciate when teachers and administrators care about and protect our children’s safety as much as we do, because they are with them as many waking hours than their families are.
Teachers and schools are responsible for protecting the comprehensive health and safety of the children they educate while they are on school property. So that absolutely is not only a parent responsibility. While I agree that it certainly is a parent’s responsibility to teach morals and values and not the state’s, it is a mistake to chide a candidate from either party for supporting legislation that helps keep children safe from sexual predators.
I am all for the separation of church (or morals) and state, but I would rather choose to err on the side of telling a child about these dangers at school AND at home, rather than potentially putting a child at risk in order to make a symbolic political stand against the separation of church and state (or values and state, at least). Wouldn’t we all?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I am all for the separation of church (or morals) and state, but I would rather choose to err on the side of telling a child about these dangers at school AND at home, rather than potentially putting a child at risk in order to make a symbolic political stand against the separation of church and state (or values and state, at least).
I think you may be giving the right too much credit. I don’t think they’re opposed to mixing church and state so much as they are talking about sex in an open forum. They’re only a few generations removed from the Puritans- the taliban of their day.
W
September 9th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
As usual, the party of high moral values distorts the truth. What an assault on intelligence. This bill is designed to protect kids from the likes of Mark Foley and Larry Craig. Think for yourself, we’re in the information age, so finding things for yourself shouldn’t be difficult.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Please put this story in context.
McCain’s ad is a deliberately misleading ad that Obama supported sex-ed for kindergartners. This is so blatantly false that the Kansas City paper, among others, called this a “deliberately misleading accusation.”
Out of bounds: McCain ad misstates Obama sex-ed record
http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/789668.html
“the legislation allowed local school boards to teach “age-appropriate” sex education, not comprehensive lessons to kindergartners, and it gave schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators.
Republican Alan Keyes tried to use Obama’s vote against him in the 2004 U.S. Senate race. At the time, Obama spoke about wanting to protect young children from abuse. He made clear then that he was not supporting teaching kindergartners about explicit details of sex.”
September 9th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Beth-
“I will teach my kids values/morals. That’s a parent’s responsibility.”
JoAnn-
“And a loving parent finds the time to do these things.”
For the sake of Piper and Willow, I hope Mr. and Mrs. Sarah Palin find some time to teach values and morals. Seems they dropped the ball with poor Bristol.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
This post is updated with a link to the original bill, which is a comprehensive K-12 sex education bill in Illinois. The disingenuous diversion that this bill was about predators is wrong. That is one element among many.
Stop this spin. Read the bill. No more lying for Obama.
September 9th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
“I don’t want teachers teaching my kids morals and values. I want them to teach my kids how to add, subtract and read.”
actually i have to go with the muslim on this one … though i hate him now …
the bill is not as sinister as it is being made out
and has kicked around illinois for years
and though yes it would include some information about sex to children younger than some parents would like … it is not sinister
this is not to say you should support it or agree with it or anything … but i’ve been to meetings on this … starting several years ago …
and it would both include information that is like “what is bad touching” and “what to do if someone approaches you”
AND
admittedly some things some parents would object to … like body part names and susy has two mommies type stuff
sooooooooo … feel free to object and fight against it …
but it really has no sinister intent
September 9th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
and trust me … teachers do NOT want this
waaaaaaaaaaaaaay tooooooo muuuuuuch haaaaassssssllllleeee
we don’t want this in any way shape or form …
can you say … “the principal and some parents would like to see you in her office … right NOW … and maybe you should call the union rep”
not fun … not fun at alllllll
September 9th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
[...] to me they could have done a better job of explaining it. I find a link as Sect is lazy (): Obama: Sex Education for Kindergartners Right Pundits [...]
September 9th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
[ed - off topic]
September 9th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
[ed - off topic]
September 9th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
This is a blind alley, why not focus on obvious frand and unregulated financial excesses that brought us the subprime and fannie mae crises that the taxpayer is going to have to pay for thought hey didn’t benifit any profits like the finanical eliet, ceo’s and others did. To me that is a voting issue rather than this nonsense about kindergardeners. Why did bush and congress let our finanical system get away with the kind of excesses that have trashed its credibility with the world and now are hurting our own citizens. Ask yourself, do you believe anything any ceo says about their company anymore or anything the wallstreet “experts” say anymore, or any the heads of banks or brokerages say about anything. We have less transparency than an developing country in an emerging market. Our word, our dollar, our books have been thoroughly trashed by our own people.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Brian,
i would say that is off topic … and i am the queen of off topic …
and i agree it is a blind alley (for the gop).
there have been “age appropiate” sex ed ideas kicking around illinois for perhaps ten or fifteen years? it went away for the last few years but i guess its back. the trouble is no one can seem to agree what age appropriate means
plus you always have people who object to their children hearing about two mommies or two daddies … etc. etc.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
my point is the kind of thinking that avoids issues of blatant fraud and serious business destruction with all that means,is ruining our country far quicker than any quirky social programming ideas re:kindergarden cops. Its just a way to avoid, to obfuscate, to deny the “real” problems that are weakening our nation. You have to get off topic, as no-one wants to get on the real topics. WE are living in serious times in which our entire finanical system is on the verge of unraveling, further we have hurt the world by selling them bad paper, fraudulant paper, paper any adult shoud have been ashamed of. Then we gave huge bonuses to those people by allowing them to loot their companys with taxpayer backed dollars. And you guys are talking about kindergarden politics.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
A government that cannot solve problems anymore, only launch wars.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
well … evangelicals don’t want their children taught about sex in school …
and teachers i might add don’t want this either … i know … i am a teacher
the last thing we want to do is discuss sex issues with children. we find that if you tell a child about something they only ask questions …
September 9th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
well I agree teachers should not be teaching that before junior high. Some biologic background could be developed in elementary school regarding plants and animals. But human biology can wait till the 7th grade science and gym classes. Nowdays, you best have that team taught so no one instructor would be singled out as inappropriate and at least they would have a witness.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
to give you an idea of the problems
a few years ago, a special needs boy in another class told his teacher, my colleague that his thingy was “all red and itchy”. well she was 23 so she came to me ‘the older and wiser and married teacher” — like i would know what that meant!? what do i know about thingies? i’m not a mother.
so obviously we brought him to the nurse, who called his mother … but how embarrassing is that? who wants that job? and then imagine telling his mother that her son’s thingy was all itchy and red … and i assure you … none of us was going to confirm that diagnosis …
and we couldn’t obviously allow a man to confirm it. never have you seen more bewildered or unsure women … because what are you supposed to do in that situation? you don’t want to scar the child for life, but on the other hand what if his thingy was bleeding or gangrenous or something?
trust me on this … teachers want no part of sex education. that is why they have specially trained health teachers. thingies just have no place in education.