Supporters of the standards argued the opposite, saying that educating children about proper terms for body parts and consent would arm them to fend off abuse.
Teaching kindergartners correct names for body parts instead of nicknames would help in investigations of child abuse, providing clarity to a child’s testimony, they said.
But an opponent who identified herself as a paralegal said California experienced just the opposite after adopting similar standards.
Judy Karmazin of Gibbon, who said she did pro bono work in California, said it became difficult to prepare children for court because they had come to believe that the abuse was their fault and normal and children didn’t think anything was wrong.
“This is why I oppose it, because I witnessed the damage that could be done, she said.
Abbi Swatsworth, executive director of OutNebraska, told the board to “listen to science over fear.”
OutNebraska is a nonprofit that advocates for Nebraskans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.
“Young people are increasingly telling us who they are,” Swatsworth said, and parents, educators and faith leaders must “honor their truth.”
Excluding LBGTQ students from the standards sends the message that they’re not worthy of an education, she said.
