Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) (10.22.09) - Monday, October 26, 2009
Amy K. Stewart
Under a measure being considered for the 2010 legislative session, parents would be able to choose between the current abstinence-only curriculum or an abstinence-based comprehensive curriculum. The former would include information about STDs, while the latter would add facts about STD prevention and contraceptive options.
Following the testimony, which included criticism of Planned Parenthood, the Legislature's Health and Human Services Interim Committee voted 7-4 approving a motion urging lawmakers to "not consider any person or organization that promotes, recommends, or teaches high-risk sexual behavior [through] Web sites, examples or talks in public schools."
After consulting with state education leaders and lawmakers, state Rep. Lynn Hemingway (D-Salt Lake), the bill's sponsor, has turned to Sen. Stephen Urquhart (R-St. George) to introduce the legislation in the Senate.
Students in Utah are not adequately informed about sexual health, said Debbie White, president of the American Federation of Teachers of Utah. In her four years teaching sixth-graders in the state, three girls have become pregnant, she said. "Do we want 12-year-old kids getting pregnant?" she asked. "I don't think so."
Utah's Parent Teacher Association supports the current state curriculum, said Liz Zentner, Utah PTA's health commissioner. One solution might be for the State Office of Education to craft a video presentation for schools to ensure that all information is both approved and uniform, she said.
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