A Massachusetts mother of two middle-school daughters filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against Memorial Middle School for a sex survey that included questions of a nature too graphic to repeat here.  The school principal asserts that the questions administered to the seventh graders were mandatory to receive a federal grant though the Center for Disease Control (CDC) denies the requirement, saying only seven states have school districts that even ask the question.  What is worse, the test was administered without parental consent.  These questions were part of a national “youth risk behavior study” that includes more matters than just sexual behavior (information via Foxnews.com).

While it is admirable for agencies to identify and seek to help children who are at risk of harm through drug use, abuse, and other legitimate risks, it seems rather risky and not a little risque to expose young minds to concepts and ideas much too mature for their comprehension and which creates an unnatural interest in sexual terminology and concepts.  Those who love God and His Word realize that such exercises as these can create thoughts and stimulate curiosities that were not already there.  Such understand the powerful truth taught by Solomon:  “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23).  What shows up in the life begins in the heart.  How reckless for adults to pollute the hearts of children, potentially contributing to a pathway toward degeneracy and sexual immorality through such volatile questions.  It seems that the survey itself has real potential to create risky behavior in youths.

In an age that seems intent on prematurely exposing children to sexual content, whether in provocative advertising, entertainment venues, video games, music, web sites, and even agencies with a decided, unrighteous moral agenda, we need to go the second mile to protect the hearts, minds, and lives of our youth!  They must know that the things, like fornication, adultery, wickedness, sensuality, and similar evil things “proceed from within and defile the man” (cf. Prov. 7:21-23).  We need young and old minds set on pure thoughts (Ph. 4:8; Mt. 5:8).  Let us not put them at risk, but rather protect them!

–Neal Pollard