LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Supporters of a sexual education implementation method are defending Nebraska’s use of the program in the wake of parent criticism.
The Lincoln Journal Star (https://bit.ly/1P4Kkox ) reports the Nebraska Department of Education has received a $75,000 grant to develop sexual education programs and policies using the Working to Institutionalize Sex Ed model. WISE is an initiative that focuses on implementing sexual health education through grants and other methods.
Two speakers at a Thursday board of education meeting told department officials that WISE has no place in the state. One of the parents highlighted a controversy at a sexuality conference in Oregon last year where materials to given to participants offering alternatives to having sex, such as sexting and online sites. She said WISE was a promoter of the conference.
A parent advocacy group in Lincoln formed by critics of the Lincoln Public Schools’ gender identity materials has also raised questions about portions of the sex education curriculum.
But supporters of the program, including Methodist Women’s Hospital CEO Sue Korth, argued the initiative helps create a curriculum that educates students about sexuality in a way that promotes health and well-being.
“I’m here to tell you I have seen the effectiveness of this program and urge you to keep it in place,” said Korth.
Korth is said the number of teens who give birth and acquire sexually-transmitted diseases shows the need for such programs. WISE, she argues, promotes abstinence and does not encourage sexual activity.
Representatives from three school districts benefiting from the grant also attended the board meeting to speak in support of the program. Five school districts in total have used the grant.
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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, https://www.journalstar.com
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