Teens need honest and straightforward information about sex in order to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The overwhelming majority of parents believe comprehensive sex education ought to be part of Minnesota’s overall effort to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among our teens.
 

Minnesotans Support Comprehensive Sex Education

According to a survey of Minnesotans conducted by Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention, and Parenting (MOAPPP):

•    7 out of 10 Minnesota adults believe that sexuality education should include both abstinence and contraception.
•    9 out of 10 Minnesotans support comprehensive sexuality in high schools; 8 out of 10 support comprehensive sexuality education in junior high schools.
•    8 out of 10 Minnesota parents reject the ideas that teaching both abstinence and contraception encourages young people to have sex.

Comprehensive Sex Education Works

•    Research shows that comprehensive sex education is effective in providing adolescents with the tools, the knowledge, the skills, the attitudes, and the values to make responsible choices about their sexual health.
•    Comprehensive sex education programs that discuss both abstinence and contraception, including condoms, do not increase sexual activity among teens; rather, such programs often delay first intercourse, reduce the frequency of sex, and reduce the number of sexual partners.
•    The decline of teen pregnancy rates has been attributed not only to an increase in abstinence among adolescents, but also to an increase in contraceptive use.

“Comprehensive family life and sex education” means education in grades 7 through 12 that:

•    respects community values and encourages family communication;
•    develops skills in communication, decision making, and conflict resolution;
•    contributes to healthy relationships;
•    provides human development and sexuality education that is age appropriate and medically accurate;
•    includes an abstinence-first approach to delaying initiation of sexual activity that emphasizes abstinence while also including education about the use of protection and contraception
•    promotes individual responsibility.