Transcript Slide 1
Local and State Organizing
Opportunities in
Sex Education
Meredith Schonfeld-Hicks &
Meghan Rapp
State Strategies Program Managers
Advocates for Youth
Purpose
Inform
SEAT participants about important
sex education trends and victories at the
state and local level
Objectives
Understand
basic trends in state sex
education policy
Understand the role of youth advocates
within the larger movement
Recognize ways to take action on sex
education at the state and local level
Areas for Impact
Federal
Policy and Funding
State Policy and Funding
School District/Board
School Health Advisory Councils
School
Policy and Curriculum
Individual Teachers
Policy and Dialogue Trends
Local changes moving faster
Medical accuracy language
North Carolina
Parma, OH
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Ohio
Strength in statistics and parent polling
Economy & budgets affecting sex education
Title V Abstinence-Only-UntilMarriage Funding
Federal
and State Issue
Clear Example of Advocacy in Action
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22 States and the District of Columbia
California
Washington
President
took it out of FY10 budget (Yay!)
Reinstated in Health Care Reform (Boo!)
State Policy Overview
22 states and DC mandate that public
schools teach sex education
34 states require that abstinence be
stressed or covered when taught as part of
sex education if sex education is taught
35 states and DC mandate HIV/STI
education
Washington-Healthy Youth Act
Signed into law by Governor Chris Gregoire on
May 2, 2007
When school districts choose to offer sexuality
education, they teach medically accurate and
comprehensive sex education
Individual school districts decide whether to
teach sex education and which curricula is
used
Implementation phase
Florida- Healthy Teens Act
Any
public school that receives state
funding and offers sexual health programs
shall provide comprehensive, medically
accurate, and age appropriate factual
information
Moved unexpectedly in response to health
statistics and polling in 2009
Push to add it to House & Senate Pre K –
12 Committee agendas for 2010
Florida Health Teens Campaign
Healthy Teens and Prevention First Press Conference during
Planned Parenthood’s lobby days at the capitol, March 2008
North Carolina- Healthy Youth Act
Signed
into law by Governor Bev Purdue
on June 30, 2009
Requires local school systems to offer
Reproductive Health and Safety Education
Advocacy efforts included 6,000+
postcards, coverage in 130+ articles,
phone banking, legislative visits, and
online mobilization
Law must be implemented Fall 2010
North Carolina Teen Health Now!
Wisconsin- Healthy Youth Act
Signed
into law by Governor Jim Doyle on
February 24, 2010
Over 50 diverse coalition members
Ensures that LGBT youth receive nonbiased sex education materials
Wisconsin HYA: 5 Key
Components
Medically accurate, age appropriate sex education
including information about abstinence and
contraceptives
School districts that opt to not teach sex education must
send a notice home to parents
State apply for federal funds that are allocated for
evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs
Deleted a provision that forbade volunteer health care
providers from providing sex education instruction
Supports the current ability of parents to opt children out
of sex education curriculum
Oregon
State Board of Education unanimously approved
revisions to Oregon Administrative Rule about
Human Sexuality Education
Combined with Oregon’s new Human Sexuality
Education Law (signed into law June 2, 2009),
Oregon now has one of the most progressive
comprehensive sexuality education policies in
the nation
Comprehensive sex education is now required in
kindergarten through twelfth grade in all public
schools.
Ohio Act for Our Children’s Future
If sex education is taught, it must be
comprehensive
Several hearings with youth testimony
“I attended a school of excellence, yet when it came
to sex education I was denied scientific and medically
accurate information for preventing STIs and
pregnancy. Denying access to the latest scientific
information in any other subject would be appalling,
yet it is acceptable for Loveland City School District
and others across Ohio to teach students
misinformation. And it’s not only appalling, it just
doesn’t make sense.”
Jamie Royce, Activist, Advocates for Youth
Parma, OH
Student pushing policy
change at district level
Organized for 19 months
Provided testimony at
School Board meeting
Earned extensive media
coverage
Met with Superintendent
Invited to meetings with
District Staff
Danny Sparks, Activist
Partnerships and Coalitions
State
work happens in coalition with lots of
planning
Coalition Partners
Reproductive Health Organizations
Faith/Religious Organizations
LGBT groups
Youth
Parents
Education Community
HIV/AIDS Organizations
Universities/Researchers
???
Why you need those partners…
National Abstinence Education
Association
“Comprised of leading abstinence educators and
supporters who represent 1.5 million children
across the U.S.”
Annual Lobby Day in Washington, DC
Bus in “500” high school students from rural Georgia
and other areas of the U.S.
Valerie Huber, President
“It is important to note that many students who
attended this event were inspired by the recent
election of President Obama and are counting on him
to help maintain these [abstinence-only] programs in
their schools and communities.”
NAEA cont.
Parents
for Truth Campaign
Engages parents with fear based information
about sex education programs
Fundraising tactic
NAEA’s Attack Ads in
Massachusetts
Young People in the Movement
First
hand experience
Credible sources
Voting constituency
Natural organizers
Fight Back! Stack the SHAC!
School Health Advisory Council
An organized group of parents and community
members that address adolescent health issues
Collaborate, educate, persuade and assist in a
volunteer capacity
Requirement for many school districts
Texas
Michigan
Georgia
SHACs cont.
Health, Sex and/or HIV education
Arizona
Colorado
Delaware
Georgia
Indiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
South Carolina
Texas
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Resources
www.advocatesforyouth.org
- Advocates’ home for parents &
professionals
www.amplifyyourvoice.org
- Online community for youth activists
www.siecus.org
- SIECUS State Profiles
State coalition websites
Thank you!
Meredith Schonfeld-Hicks
[email protected]
Meghan Rapp
[email protected]