Conservatives and religious groups are voicing disapproval as Chicago public schools are set to start distributing condoms in elementary institutions when students return to in-person learning.
In December, city leaders approved a policy to mandate condom and menstrual pad dispersal in all schools that teach students in the fifth grade or above. The move will apply to nearly all of the Windy City’s over 600 learning institutions, and students will first feel the effects of the proposal next month.
“Children at 10 or 11 should not be sexually active, and any policy that would reinforce such an idea is depraved and benefits those who would seek to sexually exploit children,” Meg Kilgannon, a senior fellow at the social conservative organization Family Research Council, told the Christian Post. “Children do not have a ‘right’ to have sex. Children are not sex objects and can never meaningfully consent to sexual acts. Adults cannot claim these false ‘rights’ for children.”
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Similarly, Maryanne Mosaz, a representative from Ascend, a group dedicated to encouraging youth to avoid sexual behavior, said the new policy may serve to harm children who “are not ready” for intercourse.
“Children at 11 need a parent intervention, not a piece of latex,” Mosaz said. “Some people think that children should be able to sexually explore, but children are not cognitively, emotionally, or physically ready to handle these kinds of acts.”
“They are acting out behaviors they have seen, and they need to know what appropriate behaviors are,” she continued, adding that “children should be focused on achieving life goals,” instead of having sex.
Mosaz stressed that sex “requires thought” and could lead to a life-altering situation such as an unforeseen pregnancy.
“Sexual intimacy is definitely a great and natural part of human development, but it is also an activity that could put people in situations where they become parents or contract a sexually transmitted disease,” she said. “Having sex is not just like riding a bike. … It can actually create babies. … It can change your life. Having sex requires thought, and it’s not just physical, but there are many emotional components of sexuality that need to be considered.”
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Officials in Chicago’s government, however, argue against the opinion held by the groups. Kenneth Fox, the chief health officer for the Chicago public school system, claimed young people need “resources” to make the proper decisions.
“Young people have the right to accurate and clear information to make healthy decisions,” Fox told the Chicago Sun-Times. “And they need access to resources to protect their health and the health of others as they act on those decisions.”
