I've been following the sex education debate and I'm confused about why it's controversial. Here's what I understand:

1. The majority of research and medical communities support teaching a comprehensive sex-ed curriculum.

2. There is now a proposal that would permit parents to choose such a course for their children, while allowing those who don't want it to choose a less-comprehensive class.

3. The current system is supposed to be teaching students about contraception and preventing sexually transmitted diseases, but my teenagers and their peers in other school districts have yet to hear about these things, so something needs to change. Since the proposal gives parents the choice of whether teachers share little or more substantial information, everyone should be happy.

We are a conservative family, and we fully expect that our children will follow our teaching of abstinence, but this does not preclude our desire for their complete health education. Those who dislike the proposal may assuage their concerns by simply enrolling their kids in the less-comprehensive class, or opting out entirely.

But I should be able to choose what I want for my children, independent of what others want for theirs.

Melinda Anderson

Sandy