*Warning: This article features edited quotes from sexually explicit materials.

I recently met with a friend who made me aware of a trend in her school district. She explained to me why some parents have began to “turn tables” in school board meetings. Much of it has to do with the way sexuality is being promoted and taught in our public schools. I was very distressed about what I heard.

The sexual revolution, or sexual liberation, was a social movement that took place between the 60s and the 80s, but its ripple effects are still being felt today. This revolution, fueled by relativism, pluralism, and postmodernism, along with secular humanism, wrote a blank check toward all forms of sexual expressions: pornography, public nudity, homosexuality, transgenderism, the LGBTQ+ movement, and even the legalization of abortion.

The ramifications for our children are manifold. First, when sex is everything than everything is permitted, including extra-marital sex, adultery, pornography and even pedophilia. I am not saying that all people agree that these are proper forms of sexual expression, but if sex is merely a tool for human pleasure to be enjoyed by all, then there are no boundaries. In other words, if all forms of sexual expression are validated, it follows that a person can partake in any form of sexual expression he or she (they? or them?) desire.

Second, sex is reduced to nothingness if there are no boundaries of sexual expression. Today, parents are concerned that their children are falling prey to critical gender theory in our schools. Neil Shenvi points out that an author for a national news outlet “recommends children’s books which include A is for Activist, an alphabet book for children ages 3-8, which includes statements like ‘L-G-B-T-Q! Love who you choose’ and ‘T is for trans… Trust in the True: The he she they that is you.‘ Also recommended for children ages 5-8 is Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag.‘ The idea? Children should be free to express their sexuality in whatever way they desire! The problem? Freedom of sexual expression is being lauded in our schools, with little restraint.

But we are left to answer…Is there a proper form of sexual expression?

God created sex to be enjoyed by humankind. Sex is also intrinsically tied to our identity. Hence why children and adults often have identity crises in relation to human sexuality. Sin distorted what God intended for good. The traditional view of sexuality, in which sex is to be enjoyed within the context of marriage between one man and one woman is a biblical truth. Rather, the traditional view of marriage is frowned upon and discouraged.

Today, children are encouraged to fully express their sexuality and define their own gender at a very young age. Kids as young as 3 years old are told they can transition into transgenderism as indicated by the article written by John Brooks titled “Is Three Too Young for Children to Know They’re a Different Gender? Transgender Researchers Disagree.” Three years of age??

Gender used to be defined as simply male and female, which was determined by one’s biological makeup. Schools are now adopting an “inclusive” approach to genderism. For instance, the Law School Admission Counsel now lists 11 different gender identity options for prospective law students. Below is the chart they offer students:

Notice that the tagline says, “choose ALL that apply.” Why not just choose one? Can someone who is a transgender man also identify as Androgyne (meaning a person of ambiguous sexual identity or one that combines masculine and feminine external manifestations of gender expression).

Along with critical race theory being taught in certain schools around America, students are also exposed to critical gender theory. Terry Kogan writes, “critical gender theorists [CGT scholars] attack the assumption that every human being naturally belongs to one of two discrete gender categories (masculine or feminine), which is determined by biologically-given sexual characteristics (male and female).”

This idea is completely contrary to biblical standards. Sex and gender, according to to Genesis 1:27 is binary, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Though this idea is not popular in our society it is the norm established by our Creator God.

Parents and School Board Meetings

National news outlets are reporting an increasing trend. Once boring school board meetings have turned contentious and at times violent. The reason? Parents are concerned their children are being exposed to explicit sexual content in public schools. They are also concerned that new school rules for LGBTQ+ students jeopardize their students safety. Are they right to protest? My answer is in the affirmative.

It is important to acknowledge parents have also protested against school policies unrelated to sexual education like mask mandates, race relations, lack of resources for at risk children, school choice, assimilation of immigrant students, critical race theory, and more. However, this article focuses only on concerns about sexual education in public schools.

For instance, the father of a teenage girl recently accused the Loudoun county district of Virginia of trying to cover up an alleged bathroom sexual assault against his daughter by a skirt-wearing male student who walked into the girls bathroom and raped his daughter.

The same 15-year-old boy was previously charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student at Broad Run High School in Ashburn. He was charged for forcing another female victim into an empty classroom where he held her against her will and inappropriately touched her. 

To make matters worse, parents have recently discovered that their children have full access to sexually suggestive books from their school libraries such as Out of Darkness and Lawn Boy. Out of Darkness is a story featured in Texas during the 1930s that chronicles a love affair between a Mexican-American girl and a Black boy.  The book highlights a scene on which two of the characters perform anal sex, as if it is to be celebrated.

Jonathan Friedman, Director of Free Expression and Education at PEN America, does not see any issues with allowing high schoolers to read Out of Darkness stating, “For anyone who believes in liberty and choice, calling to ban books from a classroom should be anathema. The solution to creating a better classroom for our kids isn’t trying to cover their eyes from difficult or challenging books—even ones we disagree with. That’s not how education is supposed to work.” However, he never answers whether or not such book is indeed appropriate for students in our schools. He merely states they are “difficult and challenging.”

Perhaps Friedman thinks that this quote from Out of Darkness is appropriate, “P***y, or the idea of p***y, or the idea of idea of p***y; a Mexican is a Mexican is a Mexican; take her out back, we boys figured, then hands on the tit**s; put it in her coin box; put it in her cornhole [reference to anal sex]; grab a hold of that braid; rub that Calico.”

More concerning yet is the book Lawn Boy, by Jonathan Evinson. The book features the reflections of a young adult male who recalls having sexual encounters with another boy while in fourth grade. Brandi Burkman, a concerned mother, challenged her school board about the book at a school board meeting. She read two disgusting quotes from Lawn Boy pages 9 and 91, “Not that it really matters, in fourth grade at a church youth group meeting out in the bushes, I touched Doug Goebbels d**k, and he touched mine. In fact, there was even some mouths involved.” On page 91, she read, “What if I told you I touched another guy’s d**k? What if I told you I sucked it? I was ten years old, but it’s true. I put Doug Goebbels’ d**k in my mouth. I was in fourth grade, it was no big deal. He sucked mine too. And you know what, it wasn’t terrible.” (click here to watch Burkman featured on a YouTube video).

Challenging material or disgustingly inappropriate? You be the judge!

A Christian Response to the Current Educational Crises in our Schools

How are Christians to respond to the content being taught in our public schools. First, if your children are in public school, make sure that you keep a close eye on the schools curriculum and library materials. We cannot afford to let our children become exposed to sexually explicit materials at a vulnerable age.

Second, we need to teach biblical values about sexuality to our children. God created humankind male and female. That is simply the norm he established. If we believe Scripture is normative for all matter of life and faith, then we must teach them the proper biblical view on sexuality (Genesis 1:27, 2:24; cf. Matthew 19:4–5; Ephesians 5:22–33; Revelation 19:7–9; Leviticus 18; 1 Corinthians 5-6; Matthew 19:5–9; Ephesians 4:11–13; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8).

Third, we know violence is not the answer. A great portion of public school teachers do not condone the sexually explicit materials and curriculum available to our students in public schools today. In fact, many public school teachers are also fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. They are in the front lines of education in America. They need to be supported and pray for, along with other sensible teachers that do not sexually inappropriate curriculum.

Fourth, parents need to make the choice of whether or not to keep their children in public school. Public schools are a mission field. If your children are mature enough to handle the various challenges of public school, they should be encouraged to be gospel witnesses to their peers. Christian parents should also seek to find different avenues to sharing the gospel in public school contexts. A great example of this is a ministry called First Priority, which seeks to “see the hope of Christ in every student,” particularly in public schools.

Fourth, whether or not you are the parent of a student in our public school system, you need to pray that God will protect our children from the predations of those who seek to usurp their authority over them. Furthermore, as the Barna Group suggests, you can make a difference by encouraging teachers, supporting alternative education options, volunteering a local schools, working for national education reform, working with the local school board for reform, and helping local school with fundraising.

Finally, do not forget that our battle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). There is a spiritual battle at play. The forces of darkness are on the move and trying to advance against us. We must stand firm in the Lord, preach the gospel with boldness, and show the world that Christ is the answer to all of our crises. The battle is raging, but we can rest assured that in the end we will come out victorious! (Deuteronomy 20:4; Ephesians 6:13; 1 John 5:4)

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” – John 16:33

Written by Daniel Messina