Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Back to THE ISSUES

Human sexuality is a sacred gift from God, designed for expression within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:26-27, Ephesians 5:31-32) until death. Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), as implemented in many public school systems, raises serious concerns for Christian parents due to its divergence from biblical values, targeting vulnerable communities, and eroding parental authority. In this article, we summarize our position on this critical issue.

Defining Comprehensive Sexuality Education

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in its International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education (2018), CSE is defined as “a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will empower them to realize their health, well-being, and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.” While this definition emphasizes holistic education, its application often promotes moral relativism and ideologies that conflict with biblical teachings.

The Biblical Foundation of Sexuality

Scripture teaches that God created humanity as male and female, with sexuality as a divine gift for love, procreation, and family flourishing within marriage (Genesis 2:24, 1:28). Sexuality education must encompass spiritual, emotional, and relational dimensions, teaching young people to honor their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and to embrace chastity as a virtue (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). This approach instills purpose, countering cultural narratives that reduce sexuality to individual choice or pleasure, as often emphasized in CSE’s focus on “sexual rights.”

Concerns with Comprehensive Sexuality Education

CSE diverges from traditional sex education’s focus on biology. Since 2006, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and World Health Organization (WHO) redefined “sexuality” to include gender identity, expression, eroticism, and pleasure. This shift has led to curricula with explicit content, such as pornographic images or exercises like putting condoms on bananas in fifth or sixth-grade classrooms. Curriculum for young elementary students can include coloring books on HIV/AIDS and sexual anatomy, raising concerns about age-inappropriate content and exploitation. In California’s Health Framework, for example, insisting on “rigid gender roles” is labeled spiritual abuse and positions the state as an authority over spiritual matters.

CSE’s ideological roots in critical theory frame traditional values as oppressive. California’s Education Code requires CSE to affirm diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, often without parental consent, conflicting with the biblical call to holiness and the family’s role in moral formation (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Ephesians 6:4). CSE typically has an opt-out option. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for schools to obstruct parents’ efforts to opt out, such as providing vague instructions or claiming no opt-out forms exist.

CSE can increase vulnerability to sexual exploitation by exposing children to explicit content early. Studies link such education to higher rates of sexual activity and abuse, particularly when delivered by external organizations like Planned Parenthood without oversight. Many schools distribute "health surveys" to students which collect invasive data about their family dynamics and personal struggles, potentially leading to interventions like gender-affirming therapies without parental knowledge.

A Christian Alternative: God-Centered Education

We advocate for a biblically grounded approach to sexuality education that honors God’s design and empowers families:

1. Affirming God’s Design: Education should teach young people to embrace their God-given identity as male or female, fostering dignity (Psalm 139:14) and reserving sexuality for marriage.

   
   

2. Promoting Chastity: Chastity prepares young people for God-honoring relationships, countering CSE’s “sexual rights” narrative with biblical responsibility (1 Corinthians 6:18).

   
   

3. Empowering Parents: Parents are the primary educators. Churches should provide resources for faith-based discussions, and parents can use opt-out forms to protect children from CSE and surveys.

   
   

4. Countering Cultural Agendas: Christian education should equip young people to discern truth amid cultural pressures, addressing gender identity with biblical clarity and compassion (Ephesians 4:15).

Solutions

Comprehensive sexuality education, despite UNESCO’s holistic definition, often promotes ideologies that conflict with Christian values, targets vulnerable communities, and undermines parental authority. Christians must advocate for biblical sexuality, support families to find educational alternatives when available, and engage culture with truth and love. Parents can form groups to monitor curricula, attend school board meetings, and advocate for transparency in their local schools. We encourage parents to opt their children out of CSE and SEL surveys, disciple children to recognize problematic content, and document school interactions.