There are some who are genuinely wondering:“Why can parents opt their children out of sex education in public schools—but not math, science, or
There are some who are genuinely wondering:
“Why can parents opt their children out of sex education in public schools—but not math, science, or history?”
It’s a fair question. And it deserves an honest, thoughtful answer.
Let’s take a breath together. And let’s talk about it.
📚 Sex Education Is NOT Like Other Subjects
Math, science, and history are core academic disciplines that are universally structured, tested, and required for graduation. These subjects build essential skills:
Math teaches logic, patterns, problem-solving.
Science teaches inquiry, data, and how the world works.
History teaches context, perspective, and how society evolves.
And the reality is: we’re already behind.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 33% of 4th graders and 31% of 8th graders in the U.S. are proficient in reading.
U.S. students rank 30th in math among 79 countries in the PISA global assessment.
Only 14% of U.S. students score at a proficient level in U.S. history. ([NAEP, 2023]; [OECD PISA Report, 2022])
So before we talk about expanding what we teach, we must admit:
We are not even mastering the fundamentals. These subjects are the main reason that parents send their children to public schools.
❤️ Sex Education Is Important—But It’s Not Core
Sex education is important.
It teaches young people about:
Their bodies
Boundaries
Consent
Reproduction
Health
But here’s what makes it different:
It intersects directly with family values, faith, and personal beliefs.
These topics are deeply sensitive, and not everyone agrees on what should be taught—or when.It requires emotional and developmental readiness.
Unlike math or grammar, sex ed involves personal comfort, safety, and timing. That is not one-size-fits-all.It requires trained professionals.
Just like we bring firefighters to teach fire safety or dentists to teach dental care, sex education must be handled with the same care and expertise—not by general educators forced to follow state-mandated scripts without context or discretion.
🛡️ Boundaries Matter
Children are not little adults. They are still forming their worldview, identity, and understanding of relationships.
To protect them, we must:
Teach accurate information.
Prioritize age-appropriate delivery.
Respect family involvement.
Give children the freedom to set boundaries when a topic feels overwhelming or unclear.
Understand that opting out is not always rejection—it is sometimes protection.
🗝️ The Call for Reconsideration
We’re calling for updates that collectively take all children’s voices, family values, and emotional wellness into account as much as possible.
We’re calling to rethink how it’s done:
Who is teaching it?
What is being taught?
How is it framed?
Are we doing more emotional harm than good by pushing past discomfort in the name of progress?
Let’s stop pretending that a child’s discomfort is always resistance.
Sometimes it’s intuition. Wisdom. A boundary. And that deserves to be honored.
👂 Final Thought
In a time when children are under pressure, underperforming in basic skills, and overwhelmed by the world around them, we don’t need louder lessons—we need better ones.
Let’s bring discernment.
Let’s bring professionalism.
Let’s bring back the art of protecting childhood.
Sex education has an important place. But it must never replace wisdom, consent, and care.