Chicago Board of Education OKs Kindergarten Sex Ed

The Chicago Public Schools district plans to start teaching children sex education in kindergarten, CBN News reports. Its Board of Education passed the new policy Wednesday, which mandates that teachers spend a set amount of time on sex education lessons at every grade level. Across the country, most public schools begin teaching sex ed in fifth grade, but under Chicago's new policy, kindergartners will learn about basic anatomy, reproduction, healthy relationships and personal safety. "It is important that we provide students of all ages with accurate and appropriate information so they can make healthy choices in regards to their social interactions, behaviors and relationships," said Barbara Byrd-Bennett, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools system, which is the third-largest in the country. "By implementing a new sexual health education policy, we will be helping them to build a foundation of knowledge that can guide them not just in the preadolescent and adolescent years, but throughout their lives." Parents will be able to opt their children out of the program.