New Vision for US Sex Education Policy

Real Education for Healthy Youth Act – A New Vision for U.S. Sex Education Policy – Introduced
A Message From SIECUS and Advocates for Youth

November 2, 2011 – The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act offers a new vision for U.S. Sex Education Policy and was introduced today!

Please, help ICAH spread the word about this important national bill. Together, we can help bring comprehensive sexual health education to youth nationwide.

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the "Real Education for Healthy Youth Act," a new bill that lays out a comprehensive, age-appropriate, and holistic vision for sex education policy in the United States.

The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act would help schools implement and expand age appropriate comprehensive sex education programs that are medically accurate and evidence-based, train teachers and educators to effectively educate youth in order to reduce unintended pregnancy and the transmission of STIs, and expand sex education programs at colleges and universities. The bill would also prevent federal funds from being spent on ineffective, medically inaccurate sex education programs.

"Comprehensive sex education programs are successful at reducing behaviors that put young people at risk," said Congresswoman Lee.  "Research has shown programs that combine information about abstinence and contraception effectively delay the onset of sexual intercourse, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase contraceptive use among teens.  These programs also reduce unintended pregnancy and the transmission of STIs, including HIV."

Among its many highlights, the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act:

• Recognizes young people’s right to sexual health information–the first time federal legislation has ever done so
• Prepares young people to make informed, responsible and healthy decisions about relationships and sexual health by including a comprehensive range of topics such as communication and decision-making skills; promoting safe and healthy relationships; and preventing unintended pregnancy, HIV, other STDs, dating violence, sexual assault, bullying, and harassment
• Includes grants for comprehensive sex education programs for adolescents and young adults in institutions of higher education
• Requires all funded programs to be inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and heterosexual youth and meet the needs of young people who are and are not sexually active
• Highlights the importance of, and provides resources for, teacher training to ensure that our nation’s sex educators have the tools they need to provide the highest quality comprehensive sex education possible to our nation’s youth.

"Growing up isn't easy and our kids find themselves in tough situations every day," said Senator Lautenberg.  "They need all the information to make smart choices and 'abstinence-only' programs don't work.  It's time to bring sex education up-to-date to reflect the real life situations facing young Americans."

A comprehensive approach to sex education policy enjoys widespread support from the American public and leading medical organizations. Public opinion research consistently shows that more than 80% of parents support sex education that includes information on both abstinence and contraception. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, Institute of Medicine, and Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, among others, also support comprehensive sex education that includes information about both abstinence and contraception, including condoms.

The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act represents a turning point for sex education policy in America, with support from a diverse array of public health, nonprofit, and youth-serving organizations.

“This is a landmark day as the U.S. Congress for the first time recognizes the rights of young people to complete, accurate, and honest sex education,” said Debra Hauser, Executive Vice President of Advocates for Youth. “The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act exists as a direct result of the tireless advocacy of grassroots activists across the country, allies throughout the nonprofit community, and courageous leaders in Washington. Young people have played a critical role championing many of the ideas in this historic piece of legislation, and we look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead to ensure that the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act is enacted into law. The health and safety of America’s youth is at stake, and we all have a responsibility to meet this challenge by providing the education, information and access to reproductive and sexual health services that young people need to make responsible decisions and lead healthy lives.”

“Senator Lautenberg and Representative Lee understand that schools should be providing our nation’s youth with comprehensive, age-appropriate, evidence-based sex education,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.  “For too long our nation’s youth have been left in the dark without access to accurate information and resources.  HRC has long opposed federal funding for abstinence-only programs because they exclude, or even denigrate, LGBT students.  This bill ensures that all students, including LGBT students, receive the instruction and information they need to make informed, responsible life decisions.”

“The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act is important legislation to expand access to effective sex education programs for adolescents and young adults and help to train teachers to provide high quality sex education,” said Leslie Kantor, Vice President of Education for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “A recent poll from Planned Parenthood and NYU's Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health found that more than 90 percent of parents feel comprehensive sex education is important in both middle school and high school, and they want it to include a wide range of topics, including information about birth control.  Young people have a right to sex education that will help them protect their health.  Congress must fund programs that work to protect young people’s health and discontinue unproven approaches, such as abstinence-only programs.”

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Advocates for Youth is a national organization that promotes programs and advocates for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.
Will Neville-Rehbehn, Advocates for Youth
202-419-3420 // will@advocatesforyouth.org