Utah Legislature: Abstinence findings fuel sex-ed debate

SALT LAKE CITY – A federally-funded study that found focusing on abstinence can delay sexual activity could add fuel to the fire as Utah lawmakers prepare to debate a bill on sex education.

The research "says what we've been saying for years and already know," said Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum.

The study revealed that only one third of sixth and seventh grade students who took classes focused on abstinence started having sex within two years. In the control group, students took classes that included contraception information — and half of them became sexually active within the same period of time.

John B. Jemmott III, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who led the federally funded study, told the Washington Post, "I think we've written off abstinence-only education without looking closely at the nature of the evidence. Our study shows this could be one approach that could be used."

SB54 sponsor Sen. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, and supporters of the bill, emphasize the proposed legislation doesn't remove abstinence from Utah's curriculum.

"Abstinence has always been a focus of sex education — always. No one is talking about doing away with abstinence and no one ever has," said Melissa Bird, Planned Parenthood Action Council of Utah executive director.

Currently, Utah educators may instruct on contraception options with prior parental consent. "Utah made the decision years ago we would be abstinence-based, not abstinence only," Urquhart said.

However, some teens, education officials and lawmakers say the problem with Utah's sex education is teachers are afraid of being accused of advocating sex so are therefore erring on the side of caution by eliminating important information. The education is therefore seriously lacking, they say.

Urquhart said his bill aims to accomplish three things: encourage a focus on abstinence, put more tools into the hands of parents regarding what their kids are learning, and get more medically accurate information out to teens.

The Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine published the national study.

Sarah Brown, who leads the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, told the Washington Post, "This new study is game-changing. For the first time, there is strong evidence that an abstinence-only intervention can help very young teens delay sex and reduce their recent sexual activity as well."