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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has implemented a sexual education curriculum starting in kindergarten, covering human anatomy, gender identity by first grade, and puberty blockers by fifth grade.
The parental rights group Parents Defending Education recently revealed this curriculum, titled “Personal Health and Safety Education & Sexual Health Education Scope and Sequence,” according to Fox News.
Critics argue that the curriculum gradually introduces students to concepts rooted in queer theory, with fifth graders learning about transgenderism and puberty blockers. This focus has raised concerns, especially given that only 31% of CPS elementary students are proficient in reading and just 19% in math—both below national averages.
Parents Defending Education’s senior adviser, Michele Exner, criticized CPS for prioritizing what she views as a radical agenda over essential academic skills, mainly when only one in six third graders reads at grade level.
Starting in kindergarten, CPS students learn to identify male and female body parts, progressing to discussions on gender identity and stereotypes in first grade. By fourth grade, tools like the “Gender Snowperson” are used to explore gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression, with fifth graders learning terms such as “cisgender,” “non-binary,” and “transgender.” They are also introduced to puberty blockers as part of their lessons on changes during puberty.
Due to some teachers’ discomfort with the material, CPS has reportedly brought in unlicensed “health educators” to teach these topics. The district previously denied multiple requests for access to the curriculum, including a federal Freedom of Information Act request from The Daily Caller.
