Debate continues over sexual education at Gwinnett County Schools

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - The debate over Gwinnett County’s controversial sex education curriculum will have to wait at least another month. The Gwinnett County Board of Education delayed a potential vote on whether to implement a new one that would include issues things like gender identity and sexual orientation, replacing the current program which teaches abstinence. 

Choosing the Best, as the current curriculum is called, stresses abstinence and waiting until marriage to have sex. The new proposal, called HealthSmart, still emphasizes abstinence, but would introduce issues like consent, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

Supporters of the proposed new curriculum say it would be more inclusive. Opponents say the coursework would be inappropriate for young people.

"It introduces things to children that shouldn’t be on their mind," said Katherine Geary, whose three children attend Gwinnett County Public Schools. "Just things that we find highly inappropriate in our family and our value system." 

Geary says the sex ed program in place right now works just fine. "It is the best for children. It encourages them to be abstinent. It encourages waiting until marriage," Geary said. 

Tony Bullard’s two children attend Gwinnett County Schools well. He says the proposed new curriculum would touch on more issues that he believes young people should know. "I think that comprehensive sex education is very important," Bullard said. "I believe the most effective way to prevent teenage pregnancy and abortion is comprehensive sexual education," Bullard said. 

Dozens of parents on both sides of the debate showed up for Thursday night’s school board meeting. But officials opted to take the issue off the agenda, leaving parents to wait to find out the fate of sexual education in Gwinnett County. The board could bring the issue of the curriculum at the next meeting in April.