Senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) wants local schools to teach a more
comprehensive based sex education program.
"We need comprehensive sex education, which includes abstinence," said
Deutch. "We know the sure form way to prevent pregnancy is by not having sex,
but we need to ensure that our schools have comprehensive, medically accurate
and age appropriate scientifically based information to prevent STDs and
unwanted pregnancy as well.”
Deutch added, “We need comprehensive sex education with abstinence
programming."
'Not Abstinence Only'
However, Palm Beach County School District spokesman Nat Harrington says
Palm Beach County schools offer an abstinence-based program. But Harrington is
quick to add that the sex education program is "not abstinence only."
"Our sex education program is not abstinence only. It's an abstinence
based program. We do give our students contraceptive information," said
Harrington.
Healthy Teens
However, Senator Deutch is pushing for more. Last year, he sponsored the
Florida Healthy Teens Act, which passed its first Committee, Pre K-12 Education.
But, the legislation did not receive a hearing this year.
Deutch said he sponsored the bill because "Florida ranks six in unwanted
pregnancy nationally and second in terms of rates of HIV/AIDS."
Under the
Florida Healthy Teens Act, local schools would follow the guidelines outlined in
the Act, which includes providing comprehensive information such as:
• Helping young people gain knowledge about the physical, biological
and hormonal changes of adolescence and maturation,
• Emphasizing the
value of abstinence while not ignoring those adolescents who have had sexual
intercourse
• Providing information on the health benefits and side
effects of all contraceptives
• Helping young people gain knowledge about
the specific involvement and responsibilities of sexual decision making for both
genders,” among other information. Some of this information would begin in the
sixth grade, Deutch said.
If approved, the Act would be implemented accordingly through the School
District. However, parents could opt out of having their teenager be a part of
the program, according to the Act.
Deutch urges the importance of passing the Act due to teen pregnancies
and STDs.
"When we are seeing studies that show one in four teenage girls have a
Sexually Transmitted Disease, we cannot ignore that our kids need to be taught
medically accurate information so they can keep themselves healthy," said
Senator Deutch.
‘Wake Up Call’
Harrington adds that the District’s sex education program has recently
undergone revisions and has provided more information to younger ages, including
a youth risk behavior survey, which provides school officials with a look into
what age and what risky behaviors students are experimenting with.
"It has been a wake up call to all of us," said Harrington, adding, "And
it provides school officials with information on who they should give more
information to on topics such as, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and sex."
Boca Raton News
Nicol Jenkins
