The Gilbert Public School District is forcing children to place stickers in their textbooks that preach an abstinence-only philosophy toward sex education. The stickers read:
"The Gilbert Public School District supports the state of Arizona’s strong interest in promoting childbirth and adoption over elective abortion. The District is also in support of promoting abstinence as the most effective way to eliminate the potential for unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If you have questions concerning sexual intercourse, contraceptives, pregnancy, adoption or abortion, we encourage you to speak with your parents."
Efforts to push abstinence-only education on students have been counterproductive. While teen birth rates have dropped nationwide, the highest rates of teen pregnancy occur in states that teach abstinence-only sex education. In 2014, Texas spent $1.2 million on a website pushing abstinence, but they have the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. Clearly, good intentions are not enough to prevent a real problem.
Please sign the petition to urge legislators to revisit state policies on abstinence-only sex education in schools, and to teach students the facts they need to make responsible decisions.
We, the undersigned, are concerned with ineffective abstinence messages being pushed on students. Recently, The Gilbert Public School District in Arizona is forcing children to place stickers in their textbooks that preach an abstinence-only philosophy toward sex education. The stickers read:
"The Gilbert Public School District supports the state of Arizona’s strong interest in promoting childbirth and adoption over elective abortion. The District is also in support of promoting abstinence as the most effective way to eliminate the potential for unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If you have questions concerning sexual intercourse, contraceptives, pregnancy, adoption or abortion, we encourage you to speak with your parents."
Efforts to push abstinence-only education on students have been counterproductive. While teen birth rates have dropped nationwide, the highest rates of teen pregnancy occur in states that teach abstinence-only sex education. In 2014, Texas spent $1.2 million on a website pushing abstinence, but they have the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. Clearly, good intentions are not enough to prevent a real problem.
We respectfully urge you to revisit state policies on abstinence-only sex education in schools, and to teach students the facts they need to make responsible decisions.