Healthy Youth Act Hearing!

The Healthy Youth Act requires schools that teach sex education to do so in a responsible, comprehensive manner that includes information about abstinence and STDs and pregnancy prevention strategies, such as birth control and condom use.

Take Action! Urge the Assembly Education Committee members to pass the Healthy Youth Act!

Public Hearing:  Assembly Education Committee on Tuesday, October 6th at 9am at the State Capitol in room 417 North.  Please attend to register your support or testify at the hearing and help show the overwhelming support for responsible sex education!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Pass the Healthy Youth Act!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to vote yes and pass the Healthy Youth Act (AB 458).

The Healthy Youth Act will ensure that sex education taught in Wisconsin's public schools is medically accurate and comprehensive, including information about abstinence and contraceptives to prevent teen pregnancies and STDs.

A 2008 report by the WI Department of Health Services found that 45% of high schoolers self-report that they are currently sexually active. Yet of those Wisconsin teens having sex, only 61% used a condom during their last sexual counter. The result of this risky sexual behavior is unintended pregnancies and STDs.

This year, 11,000 Wisconsin teens will become pregnant. And STD rates are exploding among youth in our state. According to DHS, STD rates have increased by 50% among teens in the last 10 years. Additionally, 20% of all new HIV infections in Wisconsin are among youth ages 15-24 years.

It's time to ensure our youth have the information and skills they need to make healthy decisions now and in the future. I urge the Education Committee to quickly pass the Healthy Youth Act out of committee and onto the full Assembly for a floor vote.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 05, 2009


Background Information

» Follow PPAWI on Twitter and receive breaking updates throughout the hearing! http://twitter.com/ppawi

» Comprehensive and medically accurate sex education give teens the tools they need to stay healthy and make smart decisions now and in the future.

» Real sex education is age-appropriate, scientifically-based and comprehensive. It includes information about both abstinence and birth control as ways to prevent unintended pregnancy and STDs.

» 45% of high schoolers self-report that they are currently sexually active.  Yet only 61% of those teens used a condom during their last sexual counter.

» 11,000 Wisconsin teens will become pregnant this year.

» 20% of all new HIV infections in Wisconsin are among youth ages 15-24 years.


The Healthy Youth Act ensures that the most current standards of sex education are being taught in Wisconsin and that public schools are using programs proven to reduce teen pregnancy and STD rates by:

- Ensuring that sex education in Wisconsin public schools is medically accurate and age-appropriate, and includes information about both abstinence and contraception to prevent pregnancies and STDs;

- Requiring a school board choosing not to provide sex education to notify parents that their students will not receive any instruction in preventing unintended pregnancies and STDs;

- Directing the state to apply for any federal teen pregnancy prevention funds.


» Learn more: www.ppawi.org/sexed