Essential Estrogen

Radio Iowa is reporting that 46-year-old Command Sergeant Major Marilyn Gabbard of Polk City died Saturday during a helicopter crash in Iraq.

Gabbard joined the national guard in October 1979 as a private climbed up the ranks from there. She was the first female Command Sergeant Major in the Iowa National Guard and also the first member of the Iowa Guard to die in combat.

She is survived by her husband Edwards - himself a retired guardmember - one daughter, five step-daughters and one step-son. No funeral information has been announced at this time.

Our warm thanks and prayers to the Gabbard family.

Yesterday, members of the House Education Committee continued the life of HSB 87 which provides some definition changes for sex education in Iowa classrooms, both private and public. By a vote of 17 to six, the committee agreed all sex education in Iowa should be both 'age-appropriate' and 'science-based.'

Democrats serving in the statehouse have long targeted this change in sex ed, but had previously not had the political muscle to make the change. Their majority in both houses and the Governor's Office makes this bill viable.

While the bill makes no distinction between Iowa's public schools and the myriad of non-public schools (secular or religion based), Committee Vice Chair Rep. Mary Mascher (D-HD 77) told Radio Iowa this morning that the measure does not dismantle abstinence-only programs.

"Just because they're offering abstinence-only, they cannot offer inaccurate information in that program either," she said.

The bill does target unscientific material which has been used in some Iowa schools during sex education. Information such as the ability of an individual to contract HIV from body sweat and/or tears would no longer be allowed if this bill passes.

In addition, the new section (280.28) would require nonpublic schools who elect not to provide comprehensive sexual health education (as outlined in the bill) to send send a notice to parent(s)/guardian(s) at the beginning of the year that explains such education is required by the state, the criteria outline for such education, and that such education is not being provided to the student.

Quite frankly, we do not believe this bill goes far enough in requiring all Iowa schools to teach students about themselves, their bodies, and the possibility of disease. That being said, then, it is difficult to understand why this bill has already met with opposition from the Iowa Family Policy Center, Iowa Right to Life Committee, and the Iowa Christian Alliance. Those favoring the bill include the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa State Education Association, GLBT Youth in Iowa Schools Task Force, Iowa Medical Society, Iowa Commission on the Status of Women and the League of Women Voters of Iowa (among many others).

Originally, the Iowa Association of Christian Schools were against this bill. As of Feb. 22, however, their opinion (as portrayed by their lobbyist Eric Goranson) has changed to undecided. We've attempted contact with that group to see why their opinion changed and will report back if and when we're granted an interview.

In our opinion, requiring schools to provide "just the facts" when it comes to sexual education is a long overdue mandate. No one, regardless of their particular religious ilk, should be allowed to spread disinformation on such a critical topic. To purposefully do so in other potentially life-threatening situations would be criminal and there should be no distinction made with this circumstance.