FREE ESSAY ON HOMOSEXUAL EDUCATION

HOMOSEXUAL EDUCATION

Teaching sex education in public schools alone has become a very controversial subject
with some parents and other community members. So one can only imagine the reaction to
teaching about homosexual lifestyles as part of the sex education program. There are
basically two different views on the subject of homosexuality. Some people are perfectly
okay with it, while others cringe at the thought. Many parents would be highly upset if
their child came home from school one day and said, Mommy, guess what? We got to learn
about homosexuals today. Ms. Conner said we are supposed to accept them no matter what
their sexual behavior. Why did you and daddy tell me it was bad? Ms. Conner said it was
okay. 
The issue of teaching homosexuality in the sex education curriculum is important because
it affects all of our children. Some of us may not have our own children, but most of us
have children in our life which we care about deeply, such as nieces, nephews, and god
children. Sometimes the public schools overstep their boundaries when teaching young
children subjects such as homosexuality. For example, in Provincetown, Massachusetts, the
school board has voted to begin teaching preschoolers about homosexual lifestyles. They
also want to back hiring preferences for sexual minorities ( Clinton's homosexual agenda
2). There is also a school in New York City that have told their students they must come
to an assembly for two days in a row to talk about how normal homosexuality is, and how
indecent, undemocratic, and homophobic it is to have any negative views of such sexual
functioning (Socarides 3). It is hard for me to accept this type of teaching in the
public school. When it comes to learning about homosexual lifestyles, I believe a child
should be aware that these types of people are in the world, but I would never condone
the matter. I would also never discriminate against homosexuals. Children should never
hear their teacher say good 
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things or bad things about homosexuality. At school, they should just learn the basic
facts and
leave the morals and values to be taught at home by the parents.
I do not believe that homosexuality is the right way to live, but that does not give me
the right to judge. Our children should not be so sheltered of the fact that there are
homosexuals, but I believe it is the parent's responsibility to talk their children about
this matter. I do understand, though, that many parents will not discuss this subject
with their children. They either believe it is not important, or feel they just do not
have the time. Someone should take time to speak to the children about it. We cannot wait
until Little Johnny comes home from school one day and says, Why does Georgie have two
moms? I told him that was weird. It is so important to discuss this different way of life
to the children, but is it the school's responsibility? 
Some educators believe that it is important while teaching sex education to help the
students unlearn negative feelings and stereotypes about gay and lesbian people (Roleff
53). On the other hand, other educators feel certain that teaching children to be
open-minded about gays undermines the authority of the parents who consider homosexuality
to be morally wrong (Roleff 63).
Public schools used to try and teach moral practices such as abstinence before marriage,
but schools have stopped trying to legislate morals and have started teaching
responsibility (Roleff 9-10). I do not necessarily believe as some do, that teaching sex
education in public 
schools is a bad thing as long as the teacher knows where to draw the line. Some
educators 
believe that the lack of sex education is one of the major causes of the sex variant
(Burt 151).
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Like I have already mentioned, I do think it is the parent's responsibility to talk to
their children about homosexuality. Most parents try to explain this issue to their
children in a neutral way, but occasionally they have to deal with their own complicated
reaction to this lifestyle (The Study Group of New York 252).
If I were a parent with a child in the public school system, I would feel as if it were
my obligation to find out exactly what is included in the sex education program. If the
sex education teacher was trying to get the students to believe that there is nothing
wrong with homosexuality and we should celebrate it (as some schools actually do), I
believe I should have the right to pull my child out of that section of the course. I
believe a parent should have more say-so over what a child learns than a school staff.
Every school district teaches sex education in a different way. Most schools teach the
same basic math, science, and reading principles, but when it comes to teaching
homosexuality, there is so much confusion. It is such a controversial subject.
I believe that if a school district is going to teach a sex education class, they should
have some guidelines to abide by. I feel that no public school should include in the
course of study any instruction that promotes a homosexual lifestyle or portrays
homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle. While teaching social health, I feel
the school should promote that a mutually faithful monogamous heterosexual relationship
in the context of marriage is the best and healthiest way for anyone to live.
Once again, if a school chooses to provide these types of instruction, parents should
have 
the opportunity to be provided with all of the information that their children will be
learning. 
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Parents have every right to be able to get involved with their child's school and also
what the 
child will be learning.
For starters, one should agree that teaching sex education in public schools is a
beneficial thing. I agree because I realize that there are dysfunctional parents in the
world who do not care enough to talk to their children about the dangers of some sexual
activities, including homosexuality. School is not just a place to learn how to read and
write, it is a place to learn how to interact with others and learn different social
behaviors. School is about the only place where we can get all of our children together
and try to complete the work of parents. I am not saying that the school has the right to
go against a child's family's beliefs. I am saying that the school should be there for
the student and help them in any way possible without overstepping their boundaries.
I believe that it is important for a sex education teacher to know where to draw the line
when it comes to subjects such as homosexuality. It would be so difficult to be a sex
education teacher, because it would be so easy to step on many people's toes. Many
parents become very protective of their children when it comes to learning about sexual
behaviors. This is why public schools should examine their sex education curriculum very
closely and allow no room for anyone to get upset with what they are teaching.
Just like most history teachers wish not to express too many of their opinions regarding
politics and political parties, sex education teachers should follow the same guidelines
and just teach the subject and allow the students to form their own opinions about
homosexuality and other controversial subjects.
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Bibliography
Works Cited
Author Unknown. 1999. Clinton's Homosexual Agenda.
http://www2.southwind.net/~jeremiah/clint_homo.html
Burt, John J. Ed.D. 1970. Education for Sexuality: Concepts and Programs for Teaching.
W.B. Saunders Company.
Roleff, Tamara L. 1999. Sex Education. San Diego: Greenhaven Press.
Socarides, Charles W. M.D.1999. Thought Reform and the Psychology of the Homosexual
Advocacy. http://www.leaderu.com/softcopy/narth/socarides.txt
The Study Group of New York. 1983. Children and Sex: The Parents Speak. New York: The
Facts on File.