FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Adrienne Kimmell, 941.923.5500
May 6, 2009
HEALTHY TEENS CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION ON EIGHTH ANNUAL
NATIONAL DAY TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY
Florida has sixth highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation
Sarasota, FL — In recognition of the eighth annual National Day to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the Healthy Teens Campaign today called for
comprehensive, medically accurate sex education programs in Florida to
reduce the alarming rate of unintended teen pregnancies in this country.
“Teens deserve honest, accurate, age-appropriate information about
how to protect themselves,” said Adrienne Kimmell, executive director
of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates and Healthy
Teens Campaign spokesperson. “They need sex education that provides
information about healthy communication, responsible decision making,
as well as abstinence and contraception as ways to prevent unintended
pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.”
The U.S. teen birthrate increased for the second year in a row,
according to data released in March by the National Center for Health
Statistics. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned
Pregnancy reports the U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy
among comparable countries. An estimated 750,000 American teens become
pregnant each year. Florida’s teen pregnancy rate is the 6th highest
in the nation. Florida’s teen birth rate also increased in 2006 for the
first time in 15 years and is 3 percent higher than the national
average.
In an effort to raise awareness among the public and elected
officials, the Healthy Teens Campaign is circulating a video petition
urging support for the Healthy Teens Act. The Healthy Teens Act,
introduced by Sen. Deutch (D-30) and Rep. Fitzgerald (D-69) in 2009,
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.
Providing teens and young people with the information they need to
make responsible decisions is the commonsense solution to reducing
unintended teen pregnancy. Numerous studies have analyzed
abstinence-only programs and found them to be ineffective.
A recent report by the Sexuality Information and Education
Council of the United States (SIECUS) and the Healthy Teens Campaign
found that abstinence-only programs in Florida provide inaccurate and
outdated information, reinforce gender stereotypes, and rely on fear
and shame-based tactics to discourage sexual activity. A study
by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
reports that two-thirds of the examined sex education programs that
focus on both abstinence and contraception had a positive effect on
teen sexual behavior. And a 2008 Guttmacher Institute report found that
most abstinence programs did not delay initiation of sexual activity.
President Barack Obama has consistently supported comprehensive and
age-appropriate sex education. As a senator, President Obama was an
original co-sponsor of the Prevention First Act, which would ensure
that all taxpayer-funded federal programs are medically accurate and
include information about contraception.
The majority of Floridians support comprehensive sex education.
Polling by 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.
For more information, please visit The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy or The Healthy Teens Campaign.
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Healthy Teens Campaign is a broad-based group of over 90 public
health, faith-based, education, and medical organizations working
together to advocate for comprehensive sex education in Florida public
schools to improve the health and safety of Florida teens. www.HealthyTeensFlorida.org
