Sexual education guidelines under fire

State Board may opt for changes

Topeka ? It’s showdown time over sex education in Kansas public schools.

On Tuesday, the State Board of Education will consider advisory guidelines for schools on health standards, which include sex education.

“We’re just going to sit tight and see what they do,” said Cynthia Akagi, an assistant professor of health education at Kansas University, who is chairwoman of the committee of health teachers and nurses that drew up the proposed health standards.

Conservative board members have sought changes to the standards in the way students are offered sex education classes.

Currently, most school districts, including Lawrence, have an “opt-out” policy for sex education that allows parents to remove their children from the classes. Officials in Lawrence say the “opt-out” approach has worked great.

But conservatives on the State Board of Education have recommended an “opt-in” policy where parents who wanted their children to attend sex education would be required to approve allowing their children to be included in the class.

Board members such as John Bacon, of Olathe, have said they have heard of instances where inappropriate discussions were occurring in sex education classes.

At the June board meeting, Bacon said he heard one instance where a bed was used in a class. But Akagi, who tours the state and works with schools on sex education, said she has never heard of such a thing.

Akagi and other health-care professionals said the “opt-in” proposal would result in fewer children participating in sex education class because many parents would not take the time to fill out the form.

Akagi said the committee that drew up the health standards remains committed to the “opt-out” plan, so that parents who truly don’t want their children to take sex education can remove them from the class.

She said local school boards almost unanimously have chosen the “opt-out” strategy.

Akagi said she hoped the State Board of Education would follow the recommendation of the health standards committee and practice of local school boards.

“The local boards know their communities best,” she said.

Board member Bill Wagnon, a Democrat from Topeka, whose district includes Lawrence, said he agreed with Akagi.

Proposing an “opt-in” approach, he said, was “an unnecessary interference in local board decisions.”