US schools are teaching 8-year-olds how to masturbate, and parents are outraged. The controversy surrounds the textbook titled “It’s Perfectly Normal,” which contains graphic illustrations of naked people of all ages. Some drawings depict children and adults masturbating and having intercourse. Do-it-yourself instructions are included.
US Common Core standards now require sexuality education from kindergarten through grade 12. To qualify for federal grants from the US Department of Education, public schools must adopt Common Core standards. According to the independent Heartland Institute, the Affordable Care Act has budgeted $75 million for sexuality education. Much of that has been granted to Planned Parenthood. With these funds, Planned Parenthood has hired sexuality teachers for public schools.
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This academic year, Common Core has endorsed “It’s Perfectly Normal” for fourth-grade public schools. Parents and teachers in Tennessee have opposed it. Reporter Victoria Jackson discussed the Tennessee controversy on clashdaily.com.
Frankly, I thought the first story was a right-wing joke. Then, I discovered that earlier editions have graced library shelves for 10 years. “It’s Perfectly Normal” is considered a health book for children. Planned Parenthood endorses it for ages 10 and up. Its author and other contributors are affiliated with Planned Parenthood.
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This month, the controversy has spread across the US. Read here about what parents and educators in Alabama, Illinois, Colorado and South Dakota have to say. Readers can find hundreds more links about Common Core sexuality education.
The first public controversy began in 2007 in Texas, when Planned Parenthood distributed the book to young teens at its annual sex party. News of the book hit the media. The Catholic Church condemned it as an assault on children. Catholic Online reported that trailers for the book were removed from children’s Internet networks. Other sites restricted the video to ages 18 and older. In Washington, the book promotion was deleted from a public agency fund-raiser because it was considered “sexually explicit” and “obscene.”
Read more: All Voices
