Tag Archives: sex ed bill

Schoesler statement on governor’s signing of bill requiring sex ed to be taught to kindergartners

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.”

 

Schoesler blasts Legislature’s passage of bill requiring sex ed to be taught to kindergartners

Sen. Mark Schoesler was sharply critical of the Legislature’s final approval today of Senate Bill 5395, which would require Washington public schools to teach comprehensive sex-education classes, starting in kindergarten.

The Senate today voted along party lines, 27-21, to concur, or agree, to the bill as amended by the House of Representatives on Thursday, following a six-hour debate that ended at 2 a.m. The bill as passed by the Legislature would require every public school to provide “comprehensive” sexual health education (CSHE) to each student by the 2022-23 school year, and require comprehensive sexual health education be provided to students in grades 6-12  in the 2021-22 school year.

“The teaching of sex education is an issue that should be up our local school districts to decide. It should not be mandated from Olympia, especially when it’s causing such an uproar in many communities across Washington,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

“In my many years as a legislator, I haven’t seen a bill cause such a negative reaction from the public, especially parents and educators,” said Schoesler. “Just this week I heard from three school superintendents who were opposed to this bill. One reason why they oppose this bill is because it might be an unfunded mandate placed on school districts. This is one of the most commented-on issues I’ve seen. I’ve received more negative emails and phone calls on this bill than any other bill before. These weren’t automated emails that so many legislators receive but rather were sent by people who saw the six-hour floor session in the House earlier this week that lasted until 2:15 in the morning. These people have grave concerns over this bill and so do I.”

Schoesler noted that during its coverage of the House floor action on the bill, TVW had to put the following words across the screen: ‘MATURE SUBJECT MATTER – VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.’

“When you have to have that kind of warning on your TV screen for a bill before the Legislature, that tells you how inappropriate this bill is and why it should not have been passed by the Legislature,” Schoesler said.

The sex-education bill, which was requested by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, now goes to Gov. Jay Inslee for final consideration. No bill-signing date has been scheduled.

“If people oppose this bill, they should contact the governor’s office and ask that the governor veto it. If this bill is allowed to become law, it will force our school districts to teach sex education to students as young as kindergarten. The Legislature chose not to listen to people on this bill. Hopefully, the governor will listen and will veto it,” Schoesler said.