By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – A sex education curriculum which has passed the state Senate either helps keep kids safe and not become parents in middle or high school — or it’s flat-out filth. It depends on who’s speaking.

Part of the idea is that elementary school kids learn about respect for one’s own body, and that the overall curriculum teach about how the word “family” encompasses more than just mom, dad, and kids.

To Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), this has no place in public schools. “Here we are, dealing with the absolute nonsense of putting perversion into our schools,” he said. “Yeah, that’s what it is. It’s perversion.”

Bailey’s use of the word “perversion” offended Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago), who is gay. Simmons asked that the word be stricken from the record.

Meanwhile, Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) had a response for Bailey. “You use your Trumpian talking points,” she said, “when we are trying to educate children about their bodies, but also educate them about the predators that exist in this world.”

SB 818 has passed the Senate, 37-18.