We expect kids to develop discretion and tolerance for opinions and practices different from their own to get along in a society. To do this, they have to encounter things that they don't understand or don't fully see how things affect others around them. Not talking about it just promotes more misinformation and misunderstanding and reinforcing stereotypes. I want there to be a safe environment for every kid to ask questions before they try to go out in the real world and make decisions where real people's lives and situations hang in the balance. These guidelines are a capitulation to a poorly reasoned set of superstitions and ghosts. We want kids to ask why something is the way it is -- the guidelines do not allow the conversation to take place about things some people don't want to talk about. Kids aren't stupid -- at least mine aren't -- and any limitation to them being able to ask any question is unacceptable. Teachers are in contact with these kids every day and are better able to understand what they're struggling to understand. Don't jog their elbow. They got this. They also understand that kids do dumb things precisely because they don't know better -- these guidelines don't help that problem. There's a big bad real world out there -- we need to prepare them to deal with it.