Study Shows Dangers Of Inadequate Sex Education In Florida Schools

November 7, 2007 – 4:03 pm | posted in Sexual Health / STDs

Barriers to providing comprehensive sex education in Florida remain firmly in place throughout the state according to two scientific papers presented yesterday at the 135th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA) in Washington D.C. The results of a state-wide assessment of sex education by the University of Florida confirm that it is time for Florida to replace ineffective “abstinence-only” curriculums with comprehensive education programs that ensure teens have the information necessary to make responsible decisions.

The majority of teachers surveyed by the University of Florida — 87 percent — acknowledged that sex education, in some form, took place in their schools. However, they noted it was not accessible to all students, was often afforded little time, occurred late in the students’ academic careers, had little to no uniformity in curriculum and who was teaching it, and had no standards for training or quality assurance.

“Teachers who responded to the survey indicated that students were most likely to receive sexuality education in 9th or 10th grade, which is too late,” said Adrienne Kimmell, Executive Director of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates. “What is equally, if not more troubling, is that last year, Florida received $10,700,147 in federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs when our young people need comprehensive sex education programs that provide medically accurate information about abstinence and condoms and other forms of birth control.”

The study provided further evidence that Florida schools need to provide comprehensive sex education that is age-appropriate, including the facts that help protect them from diseases that threaten their health. In Florida, teens are not universally receiving education that leads to responsible decision making. Teens need and deserve sex education that includes information about abstinence as well as life-saving information about other ways to prevent diseases and pregnancy.

“While we all hope that teens will wait to have sex, half of Florida teens have intercourse before they graduate high school,” said Kimmell. “We need comprehensive sex education so even if a teen chooses not to wait they’ll still know how to be safe.”

For more information on the research conducted by the University of Florida, visit the websites of the APHA annual meeting (http://www.apha.org/meetings) and the Center for Sexual Health Promotion (http://www.sexualhealth.indiana.edu).

The Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates (FAPPA) is the state public policy office representing Florida’s seven Planned Parenthood affiliates with 27 health care centers across the state. Florida affiliates provide health care services to more than 100,000 men and women and provide educational programs that reach more than a half million Floridians every year.

Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
http://www.sexualhealth.indiana.edu

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