A free sex education summer camp for 5th-8th grade students hosted by Boulder Valley Health Center and CU Boulder’s Renée Crown Wellness Institute has been canceled due to safety concerns, according to the health center.
National conservative media outlets and advocacy groups — including Libs of TikTok, Steve Bannon’s War Room, the Daily Caller, Newsmax and Moms for Liberty — began calling for the camp’s closure last week after it started circulating on social media.
“We’ve reached out to the Department of Government Efficiency and the DOJ. Children are not safe in Boulder, Colorado,” Newsmax host Todd Starnes wrote on X.
The camp’s pre-registration materials said the program aimed to offer comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education that most students don’t receive in schools. Topics included “sex, sexuality, power and justice,” “bodies beyond the binary,” consent, relationships and pleasure. Two week-long sessions were scheduled for July — one for 5th and 6th graders, and another for 7th and 8th graders.
Critics accused the organizers of “grooming” children and described the camp as “federally funded masturbation lessons.” They also objected to the LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum and falsely claimed the event would take place at an abortion clinic.
The camp was scheduled to be held on CU Boulder’s campus. Boulder Valley Health Center — the program’s operator — provides gynecologic care, including abortions, and receives federal funding to offer low-cost contraceptive services, STI testing and other preventive care.
In a statement, the health center said the camp was designed to “provide age-appropriate sex education to prevent unwanted pregnancies and emphasize the importance of sexual health for overall well-being.” It added: “Any extrapolation about the camp’s intentions is incorrect.” The center also linked to a 2011 Surgeon General’s report calling for more open conversations about sexual health to prevent STDs and unintended pregnancy.
The Boulder Valley Health Center did not respond to further requests for comment. A CU Boulder spokesperson told Boulder Reporting Lab the event was canceled by the health center, and they were unable to provide more information.