Kendall County Times

Debate continues over the increasingly controversial Senate Bill 818 (SB 818) that would completely overhaul sexual educations in Illinois schools and decriminalize the transmission of HIV. 

SB 818, introduced by Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), along with its attached two amendments, has already passed through the Senate Executive Committee to move forward for consideration in an 11-6 vote, the Illinois Newsroom reported. State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) has taken to social media, calling for residents against the bill to contact their local representatives. 

"Yesterday I spoke against Senate Bill 818, a bill that would rewrite existing state standards for sex education. The bill would significantly limit local control over sexual education by requiring school districts to either teach the new standards as written, or nothing at all," Rezin wrote in a tweet. "These standards were formulated by advocacy groups from outside of the state. If you OPPOSE these controversial standards, reach out to your Representative and tell them to vote NO."

SB 818 would mandate Illinois' schools to include “comprehensive personal health and safety education and comprehensive sexual health education” in the curriculum, and includes education provisions for those students who identify as LGBQT, students with children and developmentally disabled students, the Illinois Newsroom reported. 

Other opposition to the bill comes from the Illinois Association of School Boards and the Catholic Conference of Illinois. Both believe that the state mandating for sexual education to be “medically accurate,” “culturally appropriate,” "affirming of gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation and sexual behavior" and its removal of abstinence-only education to go against religious and moral beliefs. 

Supporters for the bill say these things should not be an issue as parents would have the ability to opt their children out of the sexual education program with no penalty as long as the objection is submitted in writing under the new bill if passed. 

Lawmakers in the House voted 90-9 last month passing the legislation and now looks for majority support in the Senate and to be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.