Tuesday, March 4, 2014

As Kansas weighs restrictions on sex ed, sexuality experts say it’s already inadequate

By GILES BRUCE, The Lawrence Journal-World

LAWRENCE, KAN. ----- As the Kansas Legislature discusses restricting how sex education can be taught across the state, some sexuality experts say the programs are already inadequate in preparing students for adulthood.

A Kansas state senator recently introduced a bill to require parents or guardians to "opt in" if they wanted their children to receive sex education; that would reverse the Lawrence school district's policy, where parents currently have the choice to "opt out." Either way, it won't affect the curriculum.

Last year, the Lawrence school board adopted more comprehensive sex education standards, replacing a curriculum that, using 2006 guidelines from the Kansas Board of Education, taught abstinence as the only form of birth control before marriage. Lawrence students will now learn such topics as human sexuality, sexual orientation and types of contraception other than abstinence.

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