Contraceptive-education bill killed

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438 days ago: No more breaks on contraceptives for students

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Lawmakers on Wednesday killed a bill that would have required Virginia’s teachers to teach students about the use of contraceptives approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Currently, Virginia’s Family Life Education program focuses on abstinence.

The bill, which would have added “the use of FDA-approved methods of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy” to the Virginia code, died 22-17.

The Family Life Education curriculum was created in 1987 by the Board of Education and designed to keep parents involved.

The bill’s patron, Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Richmond, said medically accurate and comprehensive sex education is necessary to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.

But Republican lawmakers said the FDA-approved list of contraception is too broad and not reliable.

“Quite frankly, this list is rather staggering in terms of its scope, and in terms of its relative effectiveness or ineffectiveness,” Sen. Mark D. Obenshain said, commenting on a spermicide on the FDA list that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not support.

“How better should our children be introduced to this laundry list?” McEachin said. “Should they go into the store, whether it’s the CVS or some other place, and guess at the efficacy of these products or guess how to use these products or guess as to whether these products are appropriate or not, or should they learn it in a classroom setting?”

Chris Freund, vice president for the Family Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes traditional family values, said he applauds the senators’ decision.

“Abstinence-based education has been a proven staple of family life education in Virginia for years. Its effectiveness is well-documented in studies at both the state and federal level,” Freund said.

Jessica Honke, director of public policy for the Planned Parenthood Foundation of Virginia, said the bill’s failure is a disappointment.

“It’s important to have this type of information to reduce unintended pregnancies and have all the information that you can have about prevention,” Honke said. “Not only for reducing pregnancy rates but [sexually transmitted diseases].”

Teaching abstinence

Family Life Education teaches about:

» Family living and community relationships

» Abstinence and the value of postponing sexual activity

» The benefits of adoption in an unwanted pregnancy

» Human sexuality and reproduction

» Dating violence and characteristics of abusive relationships

» How to avoid sexual assault, the availability of counseling and legal resources, the importance of immediate medical attention and advice, and the law

» Prevention and effects of sexually transmitted diseases

Source: Board of Education

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