Conservative opposition to sex-ed lessons in public schools isn't new, but Traci G. Lee flags Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) taking this to a Gohmert-like level. (Right Wing Watch has the audio.)
Congressman Louie Gohmert said Monday that children should not be forced to sit through sexual education classes."You don't have to force this sexuality stuff into their life at such a point," Gohmert said on the conservative radio program WallBuilders Live. "It was never intended to be that way. They'll find out soon enough."He continued, "Mankind has existed for a pretty long time without anyone ever having to give a sex-ed lesson to anybody."
Gohmert added that sex-ed lessons in public schools "reminds me so much of the summer that I was an exchange student in the Soviet Union back in the Seventies." No, really, that's what he said.
I suppose it's true that "mankind" existed for "a pretty long time" without sex-ed lessons, but I'm not sure if Gohmert understands the point of educators teaching young people about sexual health. Specifically, these lessons are intended to prevent unwanted pregnancies and discourage the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Indeed, as Roll Call noted, "Sex education has been taught in U.S. schools since the early 1900s, and became part of the curriculum to stop the spread of venereal diseases."
"Mankind" will certainly exist either way, but if schools can help young people make smarter, healthier decisions, isn't that preferable to ignorance?
Best of all, there's ample evidence that these classes are very effective -- which is more than we can say about abstinence-only education.
So, really, what in the world is Louie Gohmert talking about?