For full text of this study, click here: Sexuality Education in Florida Study [2]

A study from the University of Florida was published in the American Journal of Sexuality Education in 2008 showing that sex education in Florida :

• Is afforded too little time
• Occurs too late in students’ academic career (usually in 9^th or 10^th grade)
• Has little uniformity or standards (in terms of training or quality assurance)
• Is not accessible to all students (especially Latinos); and
• May not adequately address student’s needs

The published study, conducted by Dr. Brian Dodge, et al., also showed that there are no statewide standards for sex education, leaving Florida teens at risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Currently, Florida ranks 2nd in the nation in the number of annual HIV infections and 6th in the nation for teen pregnancy rates, yet too many schools cater to a narrow minority by allowing abstinence-only sex education to censor teachers and exclude parents’ input.

“This study shows what we already knew - too many Florida schools don’t give students the facts they need,” said Adrienne Kimmell, Healthy Teens Campaign Member and executive director of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates. “We need to change that.”

Next legislative session, Florida lawmakers will have another opportunity to protect Florida teens and ensure they have the information to lead healthy lives by supporting the Healthy Teens Act. The Healthy Teens Act requires Florida public schools that already teach information about sexually transmitted infections, family planning, and pregnancy to provide medically-accurate and comprehensive sex education – including facts about abstinence and methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and the spread of diseases.

Floridians overwhelmingly support comprehensive sex education and want to protect our families and our teens’ futures. Polling from Hamilton-Beattie & Staff and Public Opinion Strategies shows that an overwhelming 78% of Florida registered voters support a proposal that would require sex education to be taught in Florida public schools.

“This report should serve as the final warning bell for Florida lawmakers that we need to provide our teens with the information they need to make responsible decisions,” added Kimmell. “We need the Healthy Teens Act to protect the education and futures of our teens.”

The full text of the study “Sexuality Education in Florida : Content, Context, and Controversy” is available here [3]and in the American Journal of Sexuality Education, Vol. 3(2), 2008.