LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Supporters of a sexual education implementation method are defending Nebraska's use of the program in the wake of parent criticism.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports the Nebraska Department of Education has received a $75,000 grant to develop sexual education programs and policies using the Working to Institutionalize Sex Ed model. WISE is an initiative that focuses on implementing sexual health education through grants and other methods.
Two speakers at a Thursday board of education meeting told department officials that WISE has no place in the state. One of the parents highlighted a controversy at a sexuality conference in Oregon last year that gave materials to participants about alternatives to having sex. She said WISE was a promoter of the conference.
Supporters of the program include the CEO of Methodist Women's Hospital in Omaha, who argued the initiative helps create a curriculum that educates students about sexuality in a way that promotes health and well-being. Representatives from three school districts benefiting from the grant also attended the board meeting to speak in support of the program.
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