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McHenry Times

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

McHenry County school districts divided on conforming to state’s new sex education policy

Sex ed pexels cottonbro

Illinois school districts are now deciding whether or not to opt out of the state's new sex education policy for young children. | Pexels.com / Cottonbro

Illinois school districts are now deciding whether or not to opt out of the state's new sex education policy for young children. | Pexels.com / Cottonbro

Eighteen school districts in McHenry County are divided on conforming to Illinois’ new law that aligns sex education policies for grades K-12 with national standards.

In McHenry County as of June 18, seven of its school districts said they would opt out of the provisions for younger children, while one is adopting the new sex-ed policy and 10 have yet to report a decision. The new law, which the state Legislature passed in the form of Senate Bill 818, allows districts to either opt out or adopt the sex education policies for younger children contained in the new law.

During discussions about the new policy in the Legislature, Republicans criticized the plan as being too explicit for young children. Among other provisions, sixth-graders would be expected to define phrases such as oral sex and anal sex, while third-graders would be taught to understand the act of masturbation.

Sex education advocates, however, say the new law won’t result in drastic changes for school districts since it backs up what many schools are already doing in the area of sex education.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois opposed SB 818 when it was being considered by the Legislature, arguing that although the plan offers parents an opt-out provision, many parents won’t be aware of their options. The provisions inappropriately call on fifth-graders to understand sexual orientation issues and for eighth-graders to describe how to put on a condom correctly, according to the Catholic Conference.

GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Darren Bailey, a state senator, has also come out strongly against the sex-education revisions. 

“Students in the second grade may soon be required to identify consent, gender identity and reproduction, while fourth- and fifth-graders would have to define different types of sex,” Bailey said in a prepared statement. “The bill is obscene and fails to align with community standards.” 

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Local School District Decisions on New Sex-ed Policy

School DistrictPositions on Sex-ed Standards
Alden Hebron School District 19Waiting or no response
Cary Community Consolidated School District 26Waiting or no response
Consolidated High School District 155Opting out
Consolidated School District 158Opting out
Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47Adopting
Fox River Grove Consolidated School District 3Waiting or no response
Harrison School District 36Opting out
Harvard Community Unit School District 50Waiting or no response
Johnsburg Community Unit School District 12Waiting or no response
Marengo Consolidated High School District 154Waiting or no response
Marengo-Union E 165Opting out
Mc Henry Consolidated High School District 156Waiting or no response
Mchenry Community Consolidated School

District 15

Waiting or no response
Nippersink School District 2Opting out
Prairie Grove School District 46Waiting or no response
Richmond-Burton Consolidated High School District 157Opting out
Riley Community Consolidated School District 18Opting out
Woodstock Community Unit School District 200Waiting or no response
Source: LGIS News Service

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