Advanced Sex Education Legislation in Utah...

A new Abstinence Only sex education bill brought a description from Fox 13 Salt Lake City:

A bill that would require Utah educators to refrain from the discussion of contraceptives in sex ed passed the Utah Senate Tuesday afternoon.

House Bill 363 passed with a vote of 19-10.

After the new bill goes into effect, the teaching of sex education in Utah classrooms has to be about not having sex before marriage and fidelity within marriage. Teachers cannot advocate the use of contraceptives anymore and they cannot talk about homosexuality, even if asked by a student.

HB 363 would also allow any Utah school to opt out of sex education and would ban students from talking to their teachers about pre-marital sex.

I always thought students learned things by asking questions. So if they have a question about gay marriage, or why do contraceptives exist anyway, their teachers will not be allowed to answer them.

This means at least one of two things:

1. by not learning answers to common questions, students will learn from other, not always accurate sources.

2. by being young and prone to experiment, students will try out experiences to see why they are being banned from education.

Utah… that’s Mormon country,no? Does Romney support this unfortunate bill? I guess he must, given his most recent campaign statements on birth control.

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