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The Hartsburg Emden Community Unit School District 21, which teaches 176 students, reported it has opted out of teaching the new curriculum, which includes lessons about masturbation starting in Grade 3.
There were four 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chester-East Lincoln Community Consolidated School District 61 | 291 | No Response |
| Hartsburg Emden Community Unit School District 21 | 176 | Opting Out |
| Lincoln Community High School District 404 | 801 | No Response |
| Lincoln Elementary School District 27 | 1,082 | Opting Out |
| Mount Pulaski Community Unit School District 23 | 502 | No Response |
| New Holland-Middletown Elementary School District 88 | 80 | Opting Out |
| West Lincoln-Broadwell Elementary School District 92 | 200 | No Response |
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