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
Eight school districts in McLean County are divided on conforming to Illinois’ new law that aligns sex education policies for grades K-12 with national standards.
In McLean County as of June 18, one of its school districts said it would opt out of the provisions for younger children, while one is adopting the new sex-ed policy and six 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 District | Positions on Sex-ed Standards |
| Bloomington School District 87 | Waiting or no response |
| Heyworth Community Unit School District 4 | Opting out |
| Leroy Community Unit School District 2 | Waiting or no response |
| Lexington Community Unit School District 7 | Waiting or no response |
| Mclean County Unified School District 5 | Adopting |
| Olympia Community Unit School District 16 | Waiting or no response |
| Ridgeview Community Unit School District 19 | Waiting or no response |
| Tri Valley Community Unit School District 3 | Waiting or no response |
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