Sen. Jim DeMint has gotten some fresh attention - and criticism from the Ministers of Propaganda in the out-of-the-mainstream media - for his statement that open homosexuals and sexually active single adults shouldn't be in the classroom teaching and providing substandard examples for a generation of America’s youth. 

As harsh as his position sounds to the ears of those whose brains have been muddled by politically correct mush, he is exactly right. In fact, it’s abundantly obvious he’s right. 

In order to evaluate his views on this matter, we need to back up a step or two and ask a couple of very important questions. 

One, do we want teachers in our classrooms to be role models for students? Yes or no? If the answer is yes - and who could possibly argue the answer should be no - then what kind of example do we want them to set? 

Teenagers are enormously impressionable, and are particularly susceptible to the influence of significant adults at that time in their lives. Between the ages of 13 and 18, they are on a glide path to maturity and independence from their parents, and because of this, the adult role models they encounter during these formative years are profoundly important. 

Teachers are rightly dismissed from their positions for such things as drug abuse, child porn, mistreatment of students (verbal abuse, profanity, etc.), and criminal behavior. While many of these behaviors are also illegal, surely the driving impulse here is that we don’t want to send a signal to our youth that such behavior is acceptable by leaving teachers who do such things in positions of authority. We’d remove substance abusers from positions of authority in the lives of teenagers even if it wasn’t against the law. 

So then the question becomes, what kind of example do we want adults to set for our teenage children? Given the out-of-control increase in STDs, out-of-wedlock births, and family breakdown, it’s of paramount importance that we have adults in places of influence who are modeling by example that sexual energy is to be reserved for and channeled into the marital union of one man and one woman in marriage. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one in five adult Americans has a permanent, lifelong, incurable sexually transmitted disease. Over 40% of all births are to unwed others, creating enormously unstable and destructive home environments for vulnerable young children. America’s marriage rate is at an all-time low. HIV/AIDS is at epidemic proportions, and even homosexual activists are calling it “the gay disease.” 

Everybody agrees that these are disturbing facts, and that something needs to be done. Common sense and clear thinking dictates that if we love America’s teenagers, we will resolve to put healthy, mature role models in front of them right at the time when they are making sexual decisions of enormous and lasting impact. 

Sen. DeMint observed Friday night that when he first said these things in 2004, “no one came to my defense.” He did receive private support (“Everyone would come to me and whisper that I shouldn't back down”), but nothing in the way of public support. It’s time for that to change. 

I’m happy to openly, publicly and unreservedly declare that Sen. DeMint is right. We should see to it that our teachers provide the kind of examples for our youth that are worthy of imitation in every way, including sexual expression. If we love America’s students, and love America and want only the best for her, we can do no less. 

(Unless otherwise noted, the opinions expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.)