DearParentsandTeachers,

Imnotwritingtoyouasaparentorateacher,butasafellowadvocateforyouth.As
partoftheUtahPTAsmissionstatement,thereissomethingmissingfromthestrategy
todevelopskillstoraiseandprotectchildrenandyouth:Weneedtotalkaboutthecase
forcomprehensivesexualeducationinourschools.

Afewyearsago,longafterIhadmovedawayfromtheconservativesuburban
neighborhoodinnorthernUtahwhereIgrewup,Ilearnedmy14yearoldcousinhad
recentlybecomepregnant.Intheyearpreviousherfamilywasenduringserious
hardshipsasherparentsmarriagewasfailingandtheirhomebecameaplaceof
constanttension.Mycousincopedbybondingwithherpeers,includingher15yearold
boyfriend.Neitherofthemsetouttocorrupttheother,buttheygotpregnant,which
meansatsomepointtheychosetoengageinunprotectedsex.Theirabstinenceonly
sexualeducationdidnotpreventthat.Manypeopletriedtopersuadehertogivethe
babyupforadoption,butshechosetokeephim.Shehasbeenonwelfaresincethe
babywasborn.Thegoodnewsis,6yearslater,thefatherisstillinvolved,theyarestill
together,andwhenhegotajobtheyboughtasmalltownhometogetherandhada
secondbabylastyear.

HavingenduredpublichighschoolinnorthernUtahIhavefirsthandexperiencewith
abstinenceonlysexualeducation.Ourprogramwentsomethinglikethis:aparent
wouldattendamidweekdiscussionwiththeirchildinasmallauditoriumfilledwith
metalchairs.Theonetimepresentationmainlydiscussedmyfuturemenstruationand
howitrelatestomyreproductiveorgans.Idontrecallanymentionofcontraceptionor
strategiesforavoidingcoercion.Andtherewascertainlynoacknowledgementofsexual
orientation.Currentlymostschoolsdooffersometypeofprogram,typicallysimilarto
myexperience,butthestateofUtahlikestoclaimitreliescomfortablyonparentsto
teachyouthaboutsexualeducation.

Infact,only3yearsagothestateofUtahnearlypassedabillbarringanyinstruction
thatdidntpromoteabstinencebeforemarriage.AnarticlepublishedbyRutgers
coveringourstatesmovementontheissuecitedaGuttmacherInstitutestudywhich
foundthatthirtysevenstatesrequireinformationonabstinencetobeincludedinthe
sexeducationcurriculumofpublicschools.Ofthosestates,26requireabstinencebe
stressedastheonlysurefirewayofpreventingpregnancyorinfectionwithsexually
transmitteddiseases.Thisconstrictionofeducation,tome,seemscounterintuitive.If
theaimofsexualeducationistohelpyoungpeopleengageinpositivebehaviorsand
becomeresponsible,selfsufficientandhealthyadults,dontwewantthemtobe
empoweredbyawellroundededucation?

Ofcourse,ourmaingoalistopreventteenagepregnanciesandsexuallytransmitted
infections.Whileabstinenceisapositivechoice,itistheresponsibilityofeducatorsto
covertheimportanceofsafesex,ratherthaninstitutinganattitudethatsexistaboo.

Advicecolumnistshavenoqualmsofferingsuggestionsonconductandreproductive
health.Themediaquitefreelyaddressesdating,birthcontrol,andrelationships.Young
adultsneedtoknowtheycangetthebestinformationfromtheireducatorsrightintheir
school.Interestingly,ananalysisconductedbytheBritishMedicalJournal
compared
comprehensivesexeducationprogramswithabstinenceonlyprogramsandfoundthat
abstinenceonlyprogramsdidnotreducethelikelihoodofpregnancy,butrathermay
haveincreasedit.

Acomprehensivesexualeducationprogramdoesntrequirethediscussionofmorals
andvaluesastheyrelatetothepersonalsexualdecision.Butithasthepotentialtobea
phenomenalvenuefordiscussingstrategiesforhealthyliving,howtoachievemutually
supportiverelationships,andtheknowledgeofhowtosetlimitsandprotectoneself.
Howcanyoungadultsarriveatthisinformationwhilebeingbarredfromthesesubjects
altogether?

Inclosing,Ithinkabstinenceonlyeducationisnotaneducationatallanditdoesnot
work.Itsharmfulandpromotesashamebasedapproachtosexualeducation,when
insteadweshouldbeopeningupthissubjectforrichdiscussionwithyoungadults.Join
measanadvocateforthesafetyanddevelopmentofouryouth.

Sincerely,

JenniferRodgers

WorksCited

Bernick,Bob.Utahlawmakerspassbilltocurbsexeducationinschools.
Reuters.
Reuters,7Mar.2012.Web.21Oct.2015

DiCenso,Albaetal.InterventionstoReduceUnintendedPregnanciesamong
Adolescents:SystematicReviewofRandomisedControlledTrials.
BMJ:British
MedicalJournal
324.7351(2002):1426.Print.

Hamilton,Rashea,MeganSanders,andEricM.Anderman."TheMultipleChoicesofSex
Education."
PhiDeltaKappan
.Feb.2013:3439.
SIRSIssuesResearcher.
Web.19
Oct.2015.