NC Finally Beginning To Make Sense
Submitted by tarheel_advocate on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 10:31pm
Earlier this month, a comprehensive sex education bill titled The Healthy Youth Act was filed in the NC House of Representatives! The bill would make comprehensive sex education available to 7th-9th grade students at the parent's discretion. The bill would allow parents to choose whether their child(ren) follow a abstinence-based comprehensive sex education track or an abstinence-only-until-marriage track. The unique aspect of this bill is that it allows parents to become involved in their child(ren)'s education. In fact, in a survey taken before the bill was drafted, 95% of NC parents with school-aged children believed they should have some type of involvement in what their child(ren) were learning in the classroom.
The following representatives were responsible for sponsoring the bill that would potentially set up a two-track system: Representatives England, Fisher, Adams, and Wilkins. This bill will hopefully cut down on the $312 million spent by the state each year for unplanned pregnancies. Hopefully by implementing a comprehensive curriculum, more students will become educated with medically-accurate information about sexual health. Less unplanned pregnancies will ultimately lead to lower dropout rates.
The North Carolina Youth Leadership Council and Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina are excited that North Carolina is beginning to make sense.
Click here to learn more about The Healthy Youth Act.
A good report. Fingers crossed.
and emails already sent.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
The first step...
It is great that this bill is in line for the House to review and vote on. Polling has shown that practically every group in the state (Democrats and Republicans, young and old, rural and urban) is strongly in favor of the bill. Research has shown time and time again that abstinence-only education doesn't work and that comprehensive sex education is the best strategy. With minimal costs to implement, a comprehensive sex education program will both lower the rate of teen pregnancies in NC, as well as the state's spending to remedy those pregnancies.