DENVER-
Teaching abstinence-only sex education courses would be barred in all but one school district under a measure given initial backing by the Senate on Wednesday.
The measure (House Bill 1292) requires that schools teach courses based on scientific research and include instruction on the health benefits and possible side effects of contraception. Those courses can still include discussion of abstinence but the other topics must be touched on as well, said Rep. Nancy Todd, the bill’s prime sponsor.
The school district in the San Luis Valley town of Center would be able to continue teaching its abstinence-only course so it won’t lose a federal grant for such programs. It’s believed to be the only district that gets such funds now but it’s not clear how many schools teach abstinence-only programs without the help.
Republicans attacked the proposal partly because they said it violated the “local control” principle in the state constitution which says that each district be allowed to decide its own curriculum.
Schools could still decide to not teach a sex education course.
“You want to restrain the state when it comes to overseeing reading, writing and arithmetic but you’ll all for jumping into comprehensive condoms, consummation and copulation,” Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield. “It makes no sense.”
Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, said it will be easier for school districts to broach the topic if there’s a strong state mandate.
Todd, a former middle school teacher, said students should learn up-to-date information about things like hepatitis C and the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer, as well as contraception by a trained teacher rather than their friends or popular culture. She said it won’t undermine the values they’re taught at home.
“If we only give them a portion of the information, because of their curiosity, they will seek it out,” she said.
