Florida Measure Would Require Comprehensive Sex Education In Public Schools

Several Democratic Florida lawmakers on Tuesday announced that they have proposed a bill that would require public schools in the state to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted infections in their health curriculum, the AP/Florida Times-Union reports. State law requires schools only to teach sexual abstinence and that there are "negative consequences" of becoming pregnant, according to the AP/Times-Union.

The new measure, sponsored by Sen. Ted Deutch (D), would require schools to teach abstinence as "the only certain way to avoid pregnancy" or STIs. It also would require that starting in the sixth grade, sex education classes teach about the health benefits and side effects of contraceptives. Supporters of the bill to require more comprehensive sex education have cited a recent survey by the University of Florida that found that sex education programs statewide vary significantly but often include limited information about sex.

The bill, which was filed last month, has not been assigned to a committee. If it were to make it through the Senate committee process, it could be voted on during the regular legislative session in March and April. State Rep. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall (D) has filed a companion bill in the House.

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Deutch said that abstinence is "the important message to start," adding, "However, it's not simply enough to ... hope that's the only message that's necessary." Sex "is a topic that's being discussed in our schools, on the playground, in the cafeteria, ... in movie theater lobbies, ... in the magazines and on TV," Deutch said, adding, "The only place that it's not being discussed right now is the place where it can really make a difference, and that's in our classrooms."

Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, said that the language of the "bill seems to imply that abstinence education is a narrow 'just say no' message" but that the programs are "much more holistic." She added that the programs provide "education and information on making good decisions." According to Huber, comprehensive sex education programs often preface their teaching with abstinence statements and quickly become focused on contraception (Royse, AP/Florida Times-Union, 1/8).

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