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The Highland Community Unit School District 5, which teaches 2,810 students, reported it has opted out of teaching the new curriculum, which includes lessons about masturbation starting in Grade 3.
There were five school districts which did not reply to a query about if it would opt out of teaching the curriculum or said it would wait to make a decision.
The curriculum was criticized by Republicans as “outrageous” and “perverted” while advocates claimed it would safely teach students about things they’re already learning on the internet.
Out of Illinois’ 852 school districts, 520 have opted out of teaching the lessons, leaving students with no sex education lessons at all.
School districts can’t normally opt out of teaching part of a curriculum. However, the sex education bill signed by the Illinois governor included the opportunity for school districts to opt out of teaching the curriculum if they were opposed to the teaching. Some school districts have opted out of teaching the curriculum for certain grades.
Individual school data was gathered by grassroots organization Awake, IL.
| School District | Number of Students | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Alton Community Unit School District 11 | 5,803 | No Response |
| Bethalto Consolidated Unit School District 8 | 2,321 | Opting Out |
| Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 | 6,002 | Opting Out |
| East Alton School District 13 | 717 | No Response |
| East Alton-Wood River Community High School District 14 | 570 | No Response |
| Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 | 7,321 | Opting Out |
| Granite City Community Unit School District 9 | 5,657 | No Response |
| Highland Community Unit School District 5 | 2,810 | Opting Out |
| Madison Community Unit School District 12 | 633 | No Response |
| Roxana Community Unit School District 1 | 1,714 | Opting Out |
| Triad Community Unit School District 2 | 3,880 | Opting Out |
| Venice Community Unit School District 3 | 85 | Opting Out |
| Wood River-Hartford Elementary School District 15 | 612 | Opting Out |
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