Out of Control School Board to Teach About Sex to 4th Graders
by Staff
December 21, 2007
PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida, (christiansunite.com) -- With a 4 - 1 vote, the St. Lucie County, FL School Board approved a graphic, explicit, risky Condom Ed Curriculum. Only Troy Ingersol had the wisdom and courage to reject this outrageous curriculum. Kathryn Hensley, Carol Hilson, John Carvelli, and Judi Miller all followed the recommendation of Planned Parenthood's Michael Panella to support the following:For 4th Graders, the curriculum instructs teachers to: "Read students the following statement of fact: 'The AIDS virus is transmitted only through blood, semen, and vaginal fluids; people most commonly contract the virus by using needles contaminated with the blood of someone who's infected or by having sexual intercourse with someone who's infected.' Ask if anyone was surprised by the facts."
The curriculum changes implemented began as a curriculum for grades 9-12. Then, curriculum opponents found that condom education would begin in 8th grade, but finding out that 4th graders were going to learn details of how HIV is contracted shocked Port St. Lucie Pastor Bryan Longworth.
Longworth, who was one of only 5 private citizens to review the curriculum, read the above curriculum quote to the board prior to its vote. Longworth comments, "I was appalled to learn that 9 and 10 year olds will be exposed to sexual content. In teaching this to 4th graders, the school board will rob children of their childhood. I have not met one person who is in favor of teaching sexual content to 4th graders. Even some supporters of this curriculum think this goes too far." Longworth, who has already picketed one school board member's house, plans to publish flyers of the school board members next to quotes from the curriculum. Longworth promised, "We're going to let the community know which board members voted to teach sexual content to 4th graders. The community can then decide whether the board members are fit to make decisions about their children's future."
Pastor Bryan Longworth is the associate pastor of Covenant Tabernacle in Port St. Lucie, FL, cofounder of Youth for America, and is part of a group of parents and concerned citizens that gathered over 3,750 petitions in opposition to "Get Real about AIDS." Notes, video footage, and links from his October 12, 2006 press conference can be viewed at www.covenanttabernacle.com/covenant_tabernacle_sex_ed.html
Petitions, information the curriculum, and video footage can be found at www.SexEdFacts.com.
