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Sign the petition for REAL Sex Ed in Virginia!
Congress has spent over $1 billion in taxpayer funds on abstinence-only education since 1996 with little oversight. A report released by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) in 2004 found that the curricula used by more than two-thirds of government-funded abstinence-only programs contain misleading or inaccurate information about contraception, genetics, sexually transmitted infections, and abortions.
Virginia’s Family Life Education guidelines, which include information about contraception and safer sex practices, are not mandated. Schools are allowed to use locally developed programs or neglect the FLE guidelines altogether. In 2005, Virginia received $2,554,842 in federal grants for implementing abstinence-only programs and a 2006 survey found that 14% of local school districts' FLE programs were abstinence-only.
It's time to demand accountability, responsibility, and REAL sex ed from decision-makers at all levels of government!
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Real Sex Ed Saves Lives!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am concerned about the misleading information contained in abstinence-only education programs. Only medically-accurate, comprehensive sex education allows for responsible decision-making and disease prevention. Information that is wrong, too little, or too late can have long term and life threatening consequences.
I urge you to support comprehensive programs that include information about abstinence, birth control, and preventing sexually transmitted infections.
Signed by:
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Campaign Launched:
March 13, 2007
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Many abstinence-only programs contain medically-inaccurate information.
In 2004, Rep. Henry Waxman (D - CA), released a report about the state of abstinence-only sexuality education. The report found that the curricula used by more than two-thirds of government-funded abstinence-only programs contain misleading or inaccurate information about contraception, genetics, sexually transmitted infections and abortion. Among the false claims:
- Abortion can lead to sterility and suicide.
- Half of the gay male teens in the U.S. have tested positive for HIV.
- Touching another person’s genitals can result in pregnancy.
- HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can be spread via sweat and tears.
- Men need “admiration” and “sexual fulfillment” while women need “financial support.”
Information that is wrong, too little, or too late can result in long-term and life-threatening consequences.
- Abstinence-only programs that do not include family planning, disease prevention, and responsible decision-making skills are dangerous and do not prevent pregnancy or disease.
- A recent study found that while virginity ’pledge’ programs helped some participants to delay sex, 88 percent still had premarital sex. These students were one-third less likely to use contraception at first intercourse and less likely to seek STD testing.
- Studies show that sex education programs that are comprehensive and include abstinence are most effective.
- Students in comprehensive sexuality education classes do not engage in sexual activity more often or earlier, but do use contraception and practice safer sex more consistently when they become sexually active.
The vast majority of Americans support comprehensive, medically-accurate sexuality education.
- At least 40% of students report that topics such as STDs and HIV, birth control and how to handle pressure to have sex either were not covered in their most recent sex ed course or were not covered sufficiently.
- More than ¾ of parents say that in addition to abstinence, sex ed should cover how to use condoms and other forms of birth control, abortion, sexual orientation, pressures to have sex and the emotional consequences of having sex.
- More than 9 in 10 teachers believe that students should be taught about contraception (but 1 in 4 are prohibited from doing so).
- Prominent health organizations have denounced abstinence-only sex ed in favor of comprehensive approaches, including the American Medical Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institutes of Health.
- There are also a number of religious denominations with policies supporting sexuality education.
For more information:
SIECUS: Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States www.siecus.org
The Guttmacher Institute www.guttmacher.org
Advocates for Youth www.advocatesforyouth.org
Planned Parenthood Federation of America www.ppfa.org
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