Report Shows Significant Shift in the Federal Government’s Approach to Sexuality Education

(St. Paul) According to a recently issued report by the Sexuality Education and Information Council of the United States (SEICUS), a much-needed shift in sex education funding and public policy is taking place across the nation. According to the report:

“The White House has begun to heed the evidence and the urgings of the nation’s leading medical and public health organizations and has come out strongly in support of programs that can be comprehensive in scope, have demonstrated their effectiveness, and are age-appropriate and medically accurate.”

During their 2009-10 legislative sessions, 18 states, including Minnesota, introduced legislation to require that sexuality education provided in public schools be medically accurate, age-appropriate, and include instruction on both abstinence and contraception, among other topics.

Read the full SEICUS report here and the Minnesota state profile here.

“This report shows that, as a country, we’ve made substantive progress in protecting the health and futures of our young people. However, we still have much to do right here in Minnesota to ensure that evidence-based, comprehensive sex education is available to young people so they have necessary information and means to protect themselves,” said PPMNS President and CEO Sarah Stoesz. 

PPMNS has proudly worked as part of the Coalition for Responsible Sex Education, a group of educational, religious, health, social service, and advocacy organizations, as well as concerned individuals that promotes lifelong healthy sexuality by advocating for policies on responsible sexuality education and access to confidential health care services.

“Planned Parenthood supports what works and that is responsible sex education - education that includes abstinence along with accurate information on contraception, reproductive health and relationships. We are committed to continuing our work on behalf of the health and well-being of Minnesota’s young people,” Stoesz said.