North Carolina: Teens Seek Broader Sex Education

On Tuesday, a group of students from across the state lobbied legislators in support of a bill that would allow parents to decide whether their children receive abstinence-only or comprehensive sex education.

Since 1995, North Carolina has required schools to focus sex education classes on abstinence until marriage. About a dozen school districts do offer comprehensive instruction; however, these curricula have to be adopted through a state-mandated process of public hearings that supporters consider onerous.

"Teachers were very limited. One teacher said he couldn't answer questions," said Nic Jaworkski, 16, who attends Broughton High School in Raleigh. He and other students spent the afternoon visiting representatives to talk about the bill, HB 88. What is taught in class is a "just-say-'no'-to-sex sort of thing," said Sydney Brunson, a senior at Jordan High School in Durham.

"The most shocking thing I've heard was a 23-year-old woman say the pill prevents HIV," said Stephanie Saldana, a senior at Chapel Hill High School and a Planned Parenthood peer educator. Saldana said younger teens often ask her about sex because they "don't feel comfortable talking to parents."

The students cheered and applauded after one House committee approved HB 88, though the measure must be considered by another committee before advancing to a full House vote. If it passes, the bill would go to the Senate for deliberation. Republicans voted against the measure in committee and have not shown much support for it.

"Parents will decide, not politicians, the content of sex education that is right for their children," said Rep. Bob England, a Democrat who represents Cleveland and Rutherford counties. However, Republican Rep. Marilyn Avila compared comprehensive sex education with the curriculum now taught in Wake County, which she represents, and said they are virtually identical. "I don't see a life-threatening lack of information," Avila said.

Back to other news for March 2009