Texas: Legislators Say Current Sex Education Law Inadequate

A proposal by two state lawmakers would replace Texas' current sex education law with one that provides "complete, medically accurate, and age-appropriate" information to teens.

"The status quo is not working," explained Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston), who is sponsoring the measure with Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio). "Only through honest information will teens have the tools they need for responsible decision-making and disease prevention."

The existing law does not require schools to teach sex education; however, those that do must teach abstinence until marriage as the preferred behavior for young people. Ellis and Castro said SB 515 and HB 741 would mandate that districts offering sex education include additional medical information about contraception and STD prevention.

Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston), who wrote the current law with Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) in 1995, said he supports the change because the law has been misinterpreted as abstinence-only.

Gov. Rick Perry's office said he would study the proposal. However, said spokesperson Allison Castle, "the governor is comfortable with the current law and supports abstinence programs."

Texas Republican Party spokesperson Hans Klingler said the proposal would "tie the hands of local school trustees to select a curriculum that may be inappropriate for their community, school, and students."

But other Democrats who joined Castro and Ellis at a Capitol news conference said the legislation would allow parents to opt their children out of the curriculum. In addition, the measure would still present abstinence as the only completely effective way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. "We're just staying we're all for abstinence," said Ellis. "What we don't want is an abstinence from education."

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