In reading the letter submitted by Mr. Bute, it is clear that there is misunderstanding of what sex education is and its purpose. Claiming that this leads to immorality in any way is, frankly, ridiculous.

Sex education includes teaching about how our bodies work. Learning about the anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system only leads to greater understanding of ourselves and our counterparts. Knowledge is power, not immoral. Sex education also includes understanding how pregnancy occurs and how sexually transmitted infections are spread.

Mr. Bute suggested that sex education leads to unplanned pregnancy, abortion and other “immoralities,” when in actuality, sex education decreases the incidents of unplanned pregnancy and STIs. It also empowers young people with facts rather than dangerous misinformation that can lead to serious health issues. Sex education could, and should, include discussion of consent and what that means for us all. I suggest Mr. Bute go to nih.org, which is the National Institute of Health website, where research on the topics he mentioned can be found. This is peer-reviewed, factual information from reliable studies. Also, Planned Parenthood offers many services, none of which they are getting rich from. They offer preventative exams, education, STI testing, and, yes, they have prenatal care services to help women have a healthy pregnancy. Doing some research on Planned Parenthood from reliable sources will show what extensive care they offer.

I find that his claim that sex education leads to immoral behavior to be offensive and inaccurate. Having an understanding of how our bodies work leads to better decision making and is education we all deserve to have. If we really want to fight against immoral behavior, it can be found at the White House.

Peggy Olson

Albert Lea