To the editor:

I write in response to Peter Hewett’s letter to the editor on the proposed bill amendment by June Speakman and Susan Donavan.

The sex education taught in our schools does have celibacy and abstinence as its core theme of the program. The amendment is designed to add inclusivity language to the curriculum, and this seems to be what concerns Mr. Hewett. Parents also have a full right to withdraw their children from these classes at any time, as stated.

Why does this suggested amendment bother Mr. Hewett so much, when there is so much outside “sex education” inadvertently being “taught” to our children?

I wish Mr. Hewett would channel his high level of energy to combat the “sex education” that our children get from social media and pornography sites. Perhaps then he would understand why we need healthier and more inclusive language added to the curriculum.

Teachers have to address the challenges of unhealthy expectations of sex that our children see every day in internet pornography, television, streaming and enough media that makes Playboy magazines of the past seem like Disney World.

I would really like Mr. Hewett to react as strongly to what our children are regularly exposed to in the free-for-all that takes place in texts, Snapchat and Tik Tok, often portraying our girls as perpetual sex objects and toys to be played with and discarded. 

The lyrics that are played in the ear pods of our children screaming expletives, misogyny and derogatory commentary on female body parts like they were pieces of meat are far worse than what Ms. Speakman and Ms. Donavan are proposing.

I wish Mr. Hewett would show his outrage by spending some of his time addressing the mistreatment of children by helping to combat the illegal sex trade that goes right through our 95 corridors.

If Mr. Hewett could just acknowledge that our children are getting ears and eyefuls on the phones we have allowed them to carry as an extension of themselves, much more than the eyes and earfuls being taught in health education in our schools. Perhaps if Mr. Hewett would look outside of the schools in our own backyards and focus his attention on trying to correct some of these issues, the schools wouldn’t need to be in the situation of having to teach or amend any sex education to begin with.

Alayne White
11 Constitution St.