Deseret News | Sex education bill removes birth-control ban

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Sex education bill removes birth-control ban

Not your typical Utah mom... | 8:19 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Hurray. It's about time we took a realistic approach to teenagers and sex! It's not about being a good kid or a bad kid. Sex is part of being human, and kids ARE going to have sex. Lots and lots of 'good kids' have had their lives turned upside down because of a decision they made in the heat of the moment. I would much rather that my teenagers have accurate information and options to make decisions that don't result in the birth of an unwanted, or at least unplanned, child. A condom is a much better option than an abortion, don't you agree?

nedr3547 | 9:01 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Thank goodness for common sense - the fact is that not all teenagers have parents who are active in their lives, making them aware of what their options are should they not choose abstinence. With the ability to opt children out of sex education, I see no reason for anyone to oppose this bill. But, this is Utah - people here still seem to think if you mention anything besides abstinence teens are going to run out and have sex every chance they get. Oh wait, they already do.

ayb | 10:33 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Great news!

Comments continue below

MissMae | 10:40 a.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Thank God. I know it probably won't pass, but it's something. We're gambling with our children's lives, here - STD rates are burgeoning, kids are dying. As an educator, nothing makes me angrier. These are good kids, and they deserve to know how to protect themselves, you know? We owe our children the chance to be safe. And frankly, speaking openly about sex ed and teaching them to be comfortable with their bodies and each other, taking the taboo out of natural behavior, makes them a lot less likely to have sex before they're ready.

Charles U. Farley | 12:26 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

There is hope for the state of UT.!

Anonymous | 12:40 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Abstinence doesn't work, Gayle! That is a dream of yours that hurts so very many people, including the unplanned pregnancies resulting in unwanted babies born because it doesn't work! Gayle and her people and all parents who won't allow people to speak to their children about birth control, you must accept facts: teenagers are going to have sex, talking to them 'til you're blue in the face won't stop that fact. And when they have sex, pregnancies are going to happen. Sarah Palin also thinks abstinence is the way to go and now she's a Grandmother and her daughter is a mother 'way before she should be. Sometimes things can't be the way you wish they could be, and promoting abstinence as the only way to go is bringing babies to this world in situations where they are hurt by being born and those who have the babies sacrifice their lives because the babies are born. We all deserve better than this.

Instereo | 12:43 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

It's about time.

If Gayle's against it, I'm for it.

wallofvoodoo | 12:44 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

As a former HS teacher I can tell you HS kids do have sex. & believe me, these are kids you don't want caring for a child. I think adressing the risks associated with sex outside of marraige is a better approach than not discussing it at all. At least you can tell them a condom isn't magic & there are still risks involved.

al | 12:44 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

More responsibility taken from families and given to the schools but on the other hand, when girls grade school aged and older are being taken down by their mother's boyfriends and telling their teachers that they hope they are not pregnant, what is to be done? Incest is on the rise too. Where is there a safe and knowledgeable haven for young victims and soon to be victims? The breakdown of individuals and the family is all around us now. Too bad teachers have yet more of a load placed on them. But then again, some teachers are victimizers themselves. Can't help but remembering the old bumper stickers from the 70s that read "God Is Back and Is He Angry!" It will be so.

Nihilist | 12:45 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Abstinence only education has been shown to be ineffective. This is a good way to reduce demand for abortions. Too bad it will never pass!

utah rose | 12:51 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

I'm sure the kids know more about contraceptives than you know about. Kids today aren't stupid.

The best contraceptive there is is SAYING NO! They should be learning the consequences of having sex if getting a disease like STD or AIDS. They should learn that contraceptives do not always work.

Rather they should learn to respect their body. Taking the taboo out of natural behavior? For teenagers? I don't think so.

Rather concentrate on Math, Reading and English.

This is a very good reason parents send their children to parochial schools. If I still had a teenager, and this bill passes, I would rather homeschool her than expose her to the "everything is ok as long as you don't get pregnant".

And I feel that it's not the parents failing, its seeing their "idols" get pregnant and having babies without being married. Also, some of the peers do this even though they know the consequences. Poor self esteem is the root of it.

So, concentrate on convincing these kids that a good education , and preparing them for life 101 is far better than experimenting when they're not mature enough.

Reason | 12:52 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Bad idea. Itï¿½s irresponsible and defeatist to adopt the idea that ï¿½Theyï¿½re going to do it anyway, so letï¿½s show them a less dangerous way.ï¿½ Thatï¿½s like saying that ï¿½Theyï¿½re going to rob convenience stores anyway, so letï¿½s encourage them to use a twenty-two instead of a forty-five.ï¿½ Rather, letï¿½s continue to teach them to not do it at all, instead of the wimpy, mixed message of ï¿½Donï¿½t do it - but if you do, then be sure to ...ï¿½ (like ï¿½Be honest - but if youï¿½re dishonest, hereï¿½s the best way to go about it ...ï¿½).

Anonymous | 12:57 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

As a conservative LDS mom, I don't see anything wrong with this bill, especially with the opt-out clause. I echo other commenters that good kids get in bad situations and I would much rather have them educated about how to prevent a pregnancy. Since abstinence is still stressed in the program, what is there to worry about?

Jenny | 12:59 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

So when do we make parents responsible instead a government agency PARENTS STAND UP AND TALK TO YOUR KIDS - EDUCATE YOUR KIDS ABOUT LIFE, THE HUMAN BODY AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORANCE

Dear Reason | 1:03 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

That worked for Sarah Palin, didn't it?

Anonymous | 1:44 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

As a public health consultant, I'll never forget when a female participant on a panel of young adults said that she and her friends from smalltown Utah practiced birth control by having anal sex. While I admired the ingenuity, this was of course very disheartening. So much for teaching abstinence as the only alternative. Unless, of course, the Eagle Forum encourages their Eaglettes to do the same.

Faulty research | 1:50 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

"Research shows the majority of Utah's high school students become sexually active before graduation, but they aren't making healthy and responsible decisions," said Action Council Executive Director Melissa Bird.

I find that hard to believe that the majority of Utah high school students are sexually active, unless they limited their research to those in THEIR neighborhood. It is certainly not the case in mine or in the several where I have family/friends throughout the state.

Of course, social experimenters like to throw out "research" evidence to justify these types of programs and don't have real, verifiable, and independent data to back them up.

RE: Anonymous | 2:50 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Actually Abstinence, when tried, works every single time. And is 100% safe and healhty and effective.

I can't belive the the liberals and their fearmongering lately, and their irresponsiblity,

they have nothing but low expectations and are incredibly irresponsible.

Kids *are* stupid | 5:13 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

No matter how much you are an active part of a kid's life, and no matter how much you educate them, and no matter how much you violate their privacy, and no matter how good of a parent you are... you will never make enough of an impact that will stop kids from making stupid choices once in a while. Even adults make poor decisions way too many times to count. Government won't help them stop making bad decisions, either... but it certainly isn't going to hurt. If your kid watches TV, or is out in the real world anywhere, there's going to be options for them of which you as a parent wouldn't approve. So either hide them in the cupboard, or let them be educated at home and at school.

Won't be used anyway | 7:24 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

Why do so many people assume that kids that have sex will actually USE birth control methods? They are too "romantically swept away" to plan for the event or to take precautions. No kids "plan" to have sex!

And, actually, abstinence has never caused an STD or pregnancy.

What we really need to do is teach kids they don't need relationships like this until they are READY TO GET MARRIED! There's too much fun to be had in high school to waste all that time on boyfriends and girlfriends that will ALWAYS break their hearts.

John Charity Spring | 7:40 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009

For some reason, this debate ignores the most important aspect of this issue. At a time when this Country ranks near the bottom in math and science education, why are we spending money and time teaching kids to fornicate, rather than teaching core educational classes?

tuppence | 9:43 a.m. Feb. 11, 2009

I have trouble understanding why anyone would be against this. Even if you want your kids to not be sexually active in High School, eventually, don't you want them have sex once they are married? And don't you think knowing about different birth control methods would be a good thing? I know lots of women that had no idea what an IUD was until they were in their 30s. And many still don't understand the different forms of the pill and that some are less effective than others. More information is always a good thing, people! Keeping your kids ignorant of birth control methods is not protecting them.

Anonymous | 10:56 a.m. Feb. 11, 2009

To those out there who don't believe that kids in THEIR neighborhood are having sex, think again. I was in high school less than 5 years ago and kids will surprise you. They go to any lengths to deceive.

And if you think that teaching about birth control is going to get kids to start having sex all of a sudden, you're an idiot. Not teaching them is not going to prevent anything, it's only going to increase the amount of teenage pregnancies. Kids already know all about sex because of the media; what they don't know is how to prevent pregnancies if they are already sexually active. This bill is a great idea, I can't believe they haven't been allowed to teach this stuff before.

Ridiculous.

Jeffersonian | 4:23 p.m. Feb. 11, 2009

Government has no business being involved in this issue. We have allowed the government to invade every aspect of our lives. We must limit government to its purpose of protecting us from crime and foreign invasion.

Anonymous | 4:42 p.m. Feb. 11, 2009

KIds these days can get this information if they need or want it anywhere these days,

libraries, internet, satan's planned parenthood,

the information is already out there and available.

It's silly to think teaching this will make students less interested in sex or have NO effect, it is foolishness to the hightest degree.

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