Las Vegas school district considers radical changes to their sex education programs

At a closed-door, invitation-only meeting, the Clark County School District, the fifth largest in the nation, is proposing changes to their sexual education programs that would include teaching children between the ages of five and eight about gender identity, homosexuality and masturbation. The proposals, which have been met with near universal condemnation, were, for many, as discomfiting as the way in which they were presented; many who were invited could not attend.

According to a report on ReviewJournal.com, “considered changes include education of homosexuality as early as ages 5 through 8 and giving everyone “respect regardless of who they are attracted to.” Children of that age range also would be taught that “touching and rubbing one’s genitals to feel good is called masturbation.””

The district was, until 2004, using an abstinence-only sex ed-based curriculum. But that year, changes were made to allow for the teaching of safe-sex and contraception usage.

“You want to teach my 5-year-old how to masturbate?” said parent Julie Butler, referencing the item getting the most attention Monday night. Meanwhile, Parent Nicole Luth attended one of the “community input” meetings and was shocked at how they were run, allowing only those invited to attend. “I felt it was quite limited in scope and who was able to attend,” she said.

This is not the first time honest discussions of masturbation have caused a stir. In 1994, then Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders was invited to speak at a United Nations conference on AIDS. She was asked whether it would be appropriate to promote masturbation as a means of preventing young people from engaging in riskier forms of sexual activity, and she replied, “I think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught.” This remark caused Elders to lose the support of the White House. White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta remarked at the time, “There have been too many areas where the president does not agree with her views. This is just one too many.” Elders was fired by President Clinton in December 1994.

The district claims that it is merely  exploring a “comprehensive” sexuality model. More input will be sought from parents at a November advisory committee meeting.