In Tennessee this week, the House Education Subcommittee for the state legislature passed a bill that will not allow homosexuality to be covered in the sex education curriculum for kindergarten through eighth grade.

This bill, commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” has caused a lot of controversy nationwide as critics feel this bill will contribute to the already hostile environment that many gay kids feel at school.

Personally, I feel that while some may think that homosexuality is wrong that doesn’t give them the right to not allow it to be taught in schools.

Many proponents of the bill argue that parents should have the right to educate their kids as they choose, but this does not mean that they should dictate how other kids are taught in a public school. If parents are really adamant about teaching their children certain values, they should homeschool their children to have the ability to design the curriculum themselves.

Particularly because gay rights issues are such a hot-button topic right now, homosexuality should be taught in schools. Children can read about gay marriage or discrimination because of sexual orientation just by picking up the newspaper. So, while parents might think that they can shelter their kids from learning about homosexuality, chances are they won’t.

Instead, if homosexuality is talked about in schools, kids will be more informed about what is going on in the news and might be a little more understanding of what kids struggling with their identites are going through.

Concerned parents and legislators in Tennessee seem to think that just by talking about homosexuality in schools their kids will suddenly become gay. Yet, many different beliefs and values are taught in school curriculums, and just because children learn about them does not mean that they will adopt these beliefs.

For example, in a social studies class different religions may be taught, not to try and convert students to these religions but to inform them about other religions in the world. It’s the same thing with homosexuality; teaching children about it will not automatically convert them to it.

Furthermore, speaking about homosexuality in schools with children at a young age might help to prevent bullying later on. According to a 2009 survey of 7,621 middle schools and high schools conducted by GLSEN, (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) nine out of 10 LGBT students felt harassed in school in the past year.

If children learn about homosexuality early on, alongside heterosexuality, then I feel that they are likely to be more accepting of their peers.

I feel the best solution to this issue, in order to satisfy the demands of both sides, is to have homosexuality be a part of the curriculum in sex education classes; however, parents should be allowed to ask that their children to be exempt from learning homosexuality as part of the curriculum.

While homosexuality may be a controversial topic it should not be avoided altogether.