Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement today after Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law Senate Bill 5395, which requires Washington public schools to teach “comprehensive” sex-education classes, starting in kindergarten. The bill, requested by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, requires such classes for each student by the 2022-23 school year, starting with students in grades 6-12 in the 2021-22 school year.

“I’m disappointed but not surprised that the governor signed this bill. This is a sad day for parents, educators and those who favor local control of our schools. The teaching of sex education should be up to our local school districts to decide. It should not be mandated from Olympia, especially when you’re talking about a bill that orders such controversial changes.

“In my 28 years as a legislator, I haven’t seen a bill cause such a negative reaction from the public, and not just parents. Many school boards, superintendents and teachers oppose it as well. Teachers already have plenty to keep them busy in classrooms without having to worry about teaching a sex-education curriculum forced on them from Olympia – and when superintendents tell me they see no need for this bill,  as several did, it clearly is bad legislation. It’s unfortunate that my Democratic colleagues and the governor chose to ignore the public and ram this terrible and overreaching bill through.”