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Pittsburgh Students Deserve Real Sex Ed
For years, Pittsburgh Public Schools has operated under an abstinence-only policy. At tonight's meeting (Tuesday, February 24th) the school board members will consider whether to finally offer students in Pittsburgh Public Schools real sexuality education to help them prevent sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
Those of us committed to helping young people make responsible decisions are delighted that PPS is examining this issue.
For the Post Gazette story, go here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09048/949664-298.stm
If you're an interested parent who would like to share his or her view, click Take Action to send a letter to the school board.
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Subject:
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
February 16, 2009
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Last week the PPS Health Curriculum Review Committee recommended that the School Board adopt a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum for the district. Currently there is no consistent health or sex-ed curriculum or policy guiding instruction for the Pittsburgh Public Schools, so information differs school to school, classroom to classroom. In some of our schools students are taught medically accurate age appropriate information and at others students are taught "abstinence only" and are given very limited information about their own bodies and how to make responsible and safe choices to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
To ensure that all of our students have equitable access to science based, age appropriate, comprehensive information regarding how to stay healthy and strong into adulthood, the board asked the Health Curriculum Committee to review national data and research on best practices regarding health and sexuality educational models. The Health Curriculum Committee consisted of parents, teachers, principles, physical education teachers, and district administrators, and health professionals. After several months of investigation and work, the committee came up with its recommendation to the Board to adopt a comprehensive K-12 health curriculum to include a comprehensive approach to sexuality education.
Comprehensive sex-ed programs have been proven to decrease sexual activity and unsafe behaviors, while abstinence only programs have not. In addition, because abstinence only programs only discuss sex in the context of heterosexual marriage, they leave many teens (and their parents) alienated from the process and excluded from receiving information about how to develop safe and respectful sexual and intimate relationships in GLBT and in non-marriage based heterosexual relationships. Comprehensive programs are more comprehensive and inclusive in language and information, and the curriculum are based on scientific data and fact (not moral judgment) so that all of our children are informed with equitable information to make safe and responsible choices.
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