Our State Legislature has wisely created and passed a law requiring the teaching of Comprehensive Sexual Health Education for all K–12 students in Washington. This curriculum does NOT in any way introduce kindergarteners and primary-age children to pornographic representations of human sexual intercourse. It DOES present age-appropriate information to teach younger and older children to value and understand their own bodies, and to know how to protect themselves from harm.

Furthermore, it teaches younger children how to recognize, seek out, and talk to a trustworthy adult when they need help, should anyone make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. It is important to face the fact that sexual abuse of children is very common, and often happens within the family or household, or with someone well known to the child and family. The emotional damage from such abuse is carried by a person throughout his or her lifetime, as a surprising number of adults who have suffered in this way will tell you. For that reason, it is important that ALL children have this opportunity to gain such knowledge through the schools, just as they learn about how to protect themselves from fires and earthquakes.

Our local Orcas Island School District adopted the Washington-State-approved Comprehensive Sexual Health Education curriculum for our students in 2010. Should you have any questions regarding its success, you may wish to contact one of the school administrators.

Jean Henigson

Eastsound