ROCKFORD—On Aug. 20, the governor of Illinois signed Senate Bill 818, known as the ‘Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act.’ This new law amends the section of the school code known as the ‘Comprehensive Health Education Program’ that applies to all Illinois schools, public and private.  

 

Because of the efforts of the Rockford Diocese, the Catholic Conference of Illinois and others, the provisions affecting private schools were removed.

 

But Catholic parents with students in public schools need to be aware of what this bill means for their children. The course material and instruction regarding sex education represents a significant change to the content of what students are being taught in public schools.  

 

“It is worth repeating that abstinence is still the most effective means to prevent unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease and other emotional issues associated with sexual activity outside of marriage.” Diocese of Rockford LIFE OFFICE Life & Family Evangelization

In information sent to all parishes through their Parish Respect Life Coordinators, the diocesan Life and Family Evangelization Office said the new mandates contained in SB 818 “appears to be an attack on parental rights and an assault on the innocence of our children.” 

 

The new standard will conform to SEICUS — Sex Ed for Social Change — an organization that, according to its website, believes that “sex education has the power to spark large‐scale social change.” 

 

According to information from Illinois State Senator Dave Syverson and the Catholic Conference of Illinois, the new standard will require the following:

 

�–� Students in kindergarten to be taught about consent; 

 

�–� Second-grade students to define consent, reproduction, and gender identity, as well as identify different types of families, including cohabitating and same-gender; 

 

�–� Second-grade students to be provided examples of how friends, families, media, society and culture influence ways in which boys and girls think they should act; 

 

�–� Fifth grade students to describe the role of hormone blockers, to distinguish between the sex assigned at birth and gender identity, to define and explain differences between cisgender, transgender, gender nonbinary, gender expansive, and gender identity, and to be able to articulate that gender expression and identity exist along a spectrum;

 

�–� Fifth grade students to be able to define that sexual orientation is the romantic attraction of an individual to someone of the same gender or of a different gender;

 

�–� 8th grade students to be able to describe the steps to using a condom correctly; 

 

�–� Language to deemphasize abstinence as the only 100 percent effective way to prevent sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy; and

 

�–� Course materials to include local resources for reproductive health (including abortion providers), and prohibiting any instruction or materials in the classroom, including guest lectures, which might conflict with the provisions of the bill.

 

Currently, many public schools introduce sexual education to middle school students.  As part of this new law, “personal health and safety” education will begin in kindergarten — and all Illinois public schools who teach sex education will be mandated to teach this K-12 program as of Aug. 1, 2022.

 

Information sent to parishes

 

Parents and guardians must be aware that the new law includes provisions that provide for an “opt‐out” so that parents and guardians can remove children from the mandates put forth in Senate Bill 818. 

 

Parents should be aware that each school may have a different “opt-out” process, therefore, parents and guardians are urged to call their local school district to inquire what their policy is.  Some districts may provide a specific form, while others may require the parent to submit a request in writing.   

 

According to the LiFE Office, “It is worth repeating that abstinence is still the most effective means to prevent unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease and other emotional issues associated with sexual activity outside of marriage.  Regrettably, the new law minimizes abstinence being taught in public schools at the expense of a broader agenda that seeks to expose children to morally objectionable instruction.”

 

The sex education curriculum taught in diocesan Catholic schools follows the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Chastity and Safe Environment norms and Theology of the Body.