Story by: Jonelle Merrill
news@abc4.com
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – Legislators are debating a senate bill calling for a more comprehensive based approach to informing students about contraceptives in sex ed classes.
Senate Bill 54 is sponsored by Utah Senator Steve Urquhart. It calls for the State Office of Education to distribute a video about contraceptives that could be taught in all Utah schools.
36 out of 40 school districts in Utah currently teach contraceptive based curriculum with the consent of parents. Even still, Urquhart does not believe the message is getting across to teens: “On paper we have a good sex education law. It just breaks down a bit when it gets into the classroom.”
Urquhart believes a law which allows the State School Board to distribute a video to all schools in Utah, discussing the use of contraceptives would be more effective.
He says the bill does not differ very much from what the current law allows. The bill’s provisions would still allow schools to opt out of the curriculum if they chose to do so and parents would still have to give their consent. Instead, Urquhart believes a video that’s medically correct and age appropriate would help streamline the law that’s already in place.
“Even in the 36 out of 40 districts that discuss contraceptives, the teaching’s all over the map and it comes down to what the teacher feels comfortable teaching. Some of the instruction is excellent, some of it’s poor, and a lot of it’s in between,” said Sen. Steve Urquhart.
Melissa Bird, Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Action Council helped write Senate Bill 54. She says STD and teen pregnancy rates are on the rise in Utah, and that more needs to be done to help kids avoid risky behavior.
“It’s one more tool in the toolbox to start really dealing with the STD issue. Chlamydia is the number one communicable disease in Utah. In Utah you’re more likely to get Chlamydia than the Chicken Pox.,” said Bird.
The Sex Ed bill has been met with some opposition, according to Urquhart. Most of that opposition has come from Sen. Chris Buttars who declined to comment on the issue.
Senators in the Education Committee are reviewing the bill. From there, it could go to the Senate floor and eventually to the House for a decision.
