Despite the strong support of the majority of Utahns, the House Education Committee voted along party lines 2-11 to kill House Bill 246, which would have established the option of comprehensive sex education in Utah public schools.
A recent Utah Policy poll found that 64 percent of Utahns favored the option of comprehensive sex education being taught in public schools. The Deseret News reported that the poll also found that virtually half self-described “very-active” Mormons favored comprehensive sex education, as well as 76 percent of Catholics.
Karrie Galloway, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, expressed her disappointment with the committee’s vote.
“Tonight, the committee voted against what the majority of Utahns want, which is the option for a sex education program that empowers parents and keeps Utah kids safe and healthy,” Galloway said. “It’s our belief at Planned Parenthood that parents should be the primary educators of their children. We also know that the best way to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections is through sex education that delivers the facts.”
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Brian King (D-Salt Lake City) sought to implement non-compulsory, fact-based, values-neutral sex education in eighth through twelfth grade. The bill, which did not prescribe a curriculum and required that the program be opt-in only, empowered and involved parents at every step: in the drafting of the curriculum, in choosing what information their kids receive in school, and in allowing parents to teach their own moral values in the home.
The bill also had a provision which would expand access to reproductive health care like family planning and cancer screenings for low-income Utahns who fall into the Medicaid coverage gap.
Five people testified in favor the bill, spanning Utah parents, teens, policy experts, educators, and health professionals.
Dr. Ellen Brady, MD, MPH spoke in favor of the bill, stressing the dangers of ignorance and the importance of providing Utahns with the facts they need to make responsible decisions and stay healthy.
Noah Lobell, a student at West High School and a peer educator on Teen Council, told legislators about a time he had helped a friend who came to him for advice because his friend didn’t have access to comprehensive sex education in the classroom.
“Other teens might not have that same resource in their community,” Lobell told legislators.
The legislators contempt for the parents of students in Utah is astonishing. The pols in Utah are always boasting about their support for family values. I would think that high on the list of family values would be that parents can decide on how they want their children to be raised and educated and not having legislators substitute their judgments for the those of the parents.
The Utah legislators are obviously in their own agenda, NOT representing their “constituents”. Sad. That is the major problem in Utah: no true representation. Hope things change soon.