Commentaries

Proposal Threatens Sex Education in Kansas

By John Richard Schrock

Published March 23, 2016 at 3:38 PM CDT

(Chalkboard image by B S K/freeimages.com)

Sex education is once again a hot topic in the Kansas Legislature. In February, the Kansas House Education Committee passed an "opt-in" bill that requires parents to provide written consent before their children are allowed to participate in sex education courses. Commentator John Richard Schrock believes this bill takes power away from local school boards and could deny Kansas students an important part of their education.

Commentator John "Richard" Schrock is the director of biology education at Emporia State University, where he trains future biology teachers. He's also a regular contributor to Kansas Public Radio.

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Production assistance for this commentary comes from KPR News Intern Austin Fitts.

(Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story indicated the full Kansas House has passed this legislation. In fact, it has only been passed by the House Education Committee.)

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John Richard Schrock

Schrock attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute, where tuition was $8 a semester hour in 1964, completing a bachelor's degree in biology teaching and a master's in science education. He began teaching in Kentucky before he graduated from I.S.U., and completed his degrees during summers. Schrock taught five years in Alexandria, Kentucky middle and high schools and two years at the I.S.U. Laboratory School before going overseas to teach at Hong Kong International School for three years. Schrock completed his Ph.D. in entomology working on insect ecology and systematics at the University of Kansas and, upon graduation, worked for the Association of Systematics Collections for three years. When the A.S.C. moved to Washington, DC, Schrock took the position at Emporia State University, directing biology teacher training. He was on the state biology committee and closely involved in the Kansas evolution debates of 1999. He writes a weekly Kansas newspaper column on education, produces public radio commentaries, and appears monthly on Kansas television.

See stories by John Richard Schrock