Planned Parenthood | Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

by Karina

Web Editor

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

You’d think in the past hundred years, attitudes towards sexual education in schools would have changed.  Apparently in 1912 they were still having the same debate over sex ed that we are having here in Minnesota today. Case in point, this book published in 1912 entitled “Sex Education” I stumbled across.  Here is an excerpt from the book’s preface:

While there has developed a widespread belief that some form of instruction in sexual topics is requisite, no definite program has been developed.

Much attention is being lavished upon the various plans for introducing sex hygiene as a definite subject in the curricula of high schools and colleges but insufficient thought has been spent upon the necessity of similar education in the homes.

Parents are not prepared for the adoption of any radical measures like sex instructions in the elementary schools. Nor do parents feel themselves capable of assuming the role of teachers in this important branch of knowledge

Where the spirit is willing there is a lack of a definite plan. Where the spirit is weak it is too frequently because the obstacles appear insurmountable.

Yep, that pretty much sums up the current state of the comprehensive sex ed debate here in Minnesota—Most people believe that comprehensive sex ed is important (89% of parents in Minnesota), yet there doesn’t seem to be a cohesive, comprehensive plan for ensuring that all teens are equipped with the knowledge to keep themselves healthy (“Experts testified that the current sex education programs in schools are a patchwork”). Some people are freaked out by the notion of sex ed and use extreme examples to scare the general public (For example: Minnesota Family Councils Robo-calls). People believe that sex ed is also important in the home, but parents don’t feel comfortable with being their children’s sex ed instructor (“...parents are looking to the schools to be leaders in this area”). And talk about “insurmountable obstacles”—how about a Governor who has all but refused to sign any bill with the words “comprehensive” and “sex ed” in it.

All of this debate isn’t stopping us though. Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota will once again be supporting a comprehensive sex ed bill at the Minnesota Legislature during the 2010 session. Carried over from the 2009 session, the bill (SF965/HF906) is sponsored by Senator Pappas in the Senate, and Representative Frank Hornstein in the House. Once the session starts, we will be watching this bill closely and working to make sure that this is the year that Minnesota’s teens get a sex ed program that will give them the information they need to make healthy decisions.

Stay tuned, because we’ll need your help!