TOW #22 - "The World's Problem With Sex Ed" by Jonathan Zimmerman

In "The World's Problem With Sex Ed", Jonathan Zimmerman, New York Times journalist, educates the public on the world issue of increasing sex ed in the younger grades. He gives information on the issue at hand by advocating for all sides including facts and expert testimonies, and then he proposes his own counterargument. With his opening, he shocks reader's with a startling but maybe progressive situation that sets the scene for the topic at hand. He describes the Unidted States sexual education system's expansion, with "second graders will learn about 'saying no' and 'improper touching'; third graders will be introduced to gender identity and sexual orientation; and seventh graders will learn of the dangers of 'sexting' and of sexually transmitted diseases" (Zimmerman 1). Although some say this is a good idea to make children more aware of the world and the dangers around them, other's globally disagree. He states that Reverend Charles McVety, of the evangelical church, believes that introducing this curriculum to children of such young ages is "'sexually explicit and radical thinking'" (Zimmerman). As Zimmerman points out, others agree with McVety, such as Mr. Marish, a Muslim immigrant from Kuwait, suggesting that "sexual relationships outside of marriage are frowned upon, 'but now all of a sudden it’s being heavily promoted by schools,'" and now the Chinese claim that these new school programs compromise their rights. Interestingly,
Zimmerman suggests that the issue to be focused on is not sexual education, but that these compromises and issues with sexuality actually come from the media, and that this is the true issue to be fought about. After several expert testimonies and advaocating for all sides, Zimmerman is able to create a common understanding and propose his own ideas on the issue of Sexual Education in "The World's Problem With Sex Ed."