Sex Ed Bill Guts Abstinence Education Standards
02/14/2008 | 10:48 PM
More than a decade ago, the General Assembly passed
landmark legislation setting abstinence until
marriage as the expected standard taught to public
school students in sex education curriculum
throughout North Carolina. Federal lawmakers used
North Carolina's legislation as a model for the
federal Title V grant program, which provides $50
million annually for abstinence until marriage
education in the states. Through the Title V
program, North Carolina receives over $1.2 million
annually for abstinence until marriage education.
This year Representatives Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe), Linda Coleman (D-Wake), Maggie Jeffus (D-Guilford) and Melanie Wade Goodwin (D-Richmond) have introduced House Bill 879, known as "Modify School Health Education Program." Identical state Senate Bill 1182 has been introduced by Sen. Linda Garrou (D-Forsyth).
The bill has the strong backing of EqualityNC, a statewide advocacy organization that works, according to their own mission statement "to secure equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians." The bill is also supported by the NARAL Pro Choice North Carolina network, Planned Parenthood, and others. It is opposed by the North Carolina Family Policy Council.
Abstinence until marriage education has been highly effective in delaying teen sex, reducing teen pregnancy and curtailing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
Not stopping at eliminating outright the requirement that abstinence until marriage be taught as an accepted standard, House Bill 879 and Senate Bill 1182 would eliminate every mention of “abstinence until marriage” from North Carolina law. It would force all North Carolina schools to teach strict requirements, among them teachers and instructional materials would have to address "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" without bias. Students as young as 7th grade, and possibly earlier, would be forced to be taught about ALL FDA-approved methods of contraception including "emergency contraceptives" and at least 21 other forms of contraception.
House Bill 879 and Senate Bill 1182 would have the effect of encouraging irresponsible behavior without consequence, and it would eliminate a recognized and working standard that has worked as a matter of public policy.
"The bill does an end run around parents," said Rep. Ruth Samuelson (R-Mecklenburg). Under the present law local school boards are allowed to expand their sexual education programs after holding a public hearing and making the objectives and materials available for public review and parents are allowed to opt out their children. The proposed legislation makes so-called "comprehensive" sex education mandatory for all 115 school systems in North Carolina despite the fact that less than 10 schools systems in the state have gone through the hearing process in order to offer and expanded curriculum.
In addition, enactment of these proposed changes to a mandatory "comprehensive" sex education curriculum would require North Carolina to forfeit $1.2 million in federal funds.
This year Representatives Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe), Linda Coleman (D-Wake), Maggie Jeffus (D-Guilford) and Melanie Wade Goodwin (D-Richmond) have introduced House Bill 879, known as "Modify School Health Education Program." Identical state Senate Bill 1182 has been introduced by Sen. Linda Garrou (D-Forsyth).
The bill has the strong backing of EqualityNC, a statewide advocacy organization that works, according to their own mission statement "to secure equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians." The bill is also supported by the NARAL Pro Choice North Carolina network, Planned Parenthood, and others. It is opposed by the North Carolina Family Policy Council.
Abstinence until marriage education has been highly effective in delaying teen sex, reducing teen pregnancy and curtailing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
Not stopping at eliminating outright the requirement that abstinence until marriage be taught as an accepted standard, House Bill 879 and Senate Bill 1182 would eliminate every mention of “abstinence until marriage” from North Carolina law. It would force all North Carolina schools to teach strict requirements, among them teachers and instructional materials would have to address "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" without bias. Students as young as 7th grade, and possibly earlier, would be forced to be taught about ALL FDA-approved methods of contraception including "emergency contraceptives" and at least 21 other forms of contraception.
House Bill 879 and Senate Bill 1182 would have the effect of encouraging irresponsible behavior without consequence, and it would eliminate a recognized and working standard that has worked as a matter of public policy.
"The bill does an end run around parents," said Rep. Ruth Samuelson (R-Mecklenburg). Under the present law local school boards are allowed to expand their sexual education programs after holding a public hearing and making the objectives and materials available for public review and parents are allowed to opt out their children. The proposed legislation makes so-called "comprehensive" sex education mandatory for all 115 school systems in North Carolina despite the fact that less than 10 schools systems in the state have gone through the hearing process in order to offer and expanded curriculum.
In addition, enactment of these proposed changes to a mandatory "comprehensive" sex education curriculum would require North Carolina to forfeit $1.2 million in federal funds.