Knowledge IS Power!

A study was recently released correlating sexuality education and youth behaviors. While this might not surprise many of our readers, sex ed helps teens make smarter decisions. In fact, teens who never experience sex ed become sexually active at a younger age, while teens who are exposed to comprehensive sex ed generally delay sexual activity and use condoms/contraception during their first sexual experience. The article comes to us from Guttmacher Institute researchers and points out that teens who received no or abstinence-only sex ed were also more likely to have a partner that was significantly older or younger.

So, what does this research tell us? Above all, the study shows that any type of sex ed is better than nothing, which is fairly simple logic. However, the study also demonstrates that abstinence-only sex ed can positively affect sexual decisions, but comprehensive sex ed still wins out in most categories. It is truly an injustice to deny any youth access to knowledge concerning their sexual health and wellness, yet we continue to do so in innumerable schools, cities, and states across the country. Study after study points to the efficacy of comprehensive sexuality education. When teens are armed with medically accurate information, they can make sound, responsible decisions. This is the way to reduce teen pregnancy and STI rates. This is the way to give children a bright future.

For more on this study, please visit: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/j.jadohealth.2011.12.028.pdf.  

Good News from Utah

Reason prevailed earlier this month in Utah, as Republican Gov. Gary Herbert vetoed a bill that would allow schools to opt out of sex education instruction and ban discussion of contraception outright. HB 363 would have prohibited "instruction or the advocacy of the intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation, or erotic behavior; homosexuality; contraceptive methods or devices; or sexual activity outside of marriage." Another thing to keep in mind: currently Utah law regarding sex education is "opt-in", which means that a parent must give written permission before their child receives any education on human sexuality.

Gov. Herbert said that "After careful review of existing law and following extensive discussions with stakeholders on both sides of the issue, I am convinced the existing statutory framework respects these two principles, while HB 363 simply goes too far by constricting parental options."

We applaud the Governor for vetoing this bill, and continue to support open dialog and access to responsible, realistic, effective, comprehensive sex education that the people of Utah (and everywhere else) deserve.

Just a reminder that birth control DOES save taxpeyers' money!

The latest study to confirm this fact comes from Brookings Center on Children and Families. The study uses a simulation model to compare three approaches to preventing teen pregnancy. These were: a mass-media campaign, an "evidence-based" sex ed program that included both abstinence messages and information on safer-sex practices, and finally, expanding the number of people enrolled in the Medicaid program. The model calculates each program's cost and how much taxpayer money would be saved. The results?

All three simulated programs were effective in terms of saving taxpayers' money. But what else did the study show? The evidence based sex education programs aimed at teens cost $145 million and saved taxpayers a total of $356 million by increasing use of contraception and reducing risky sexual activity. Not too shabby!

Hoverer, compare this to the model that expands Medicaid and gives people more access to family planning:

"A $235 million investment there would lower taxpayer costs of $1.32 billion by preventing unintended pregnancies."

Yes, that's right. We said $1.32 BILLION DOLLARS.

We think these results speak for themselves.