Texas has always been uncomfortable with the idea of teaching sex education in public schools, and a new report shows the subject is treated delicately, if at all, in the state's school districts, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Research conducted by Texas State University Professor David Wiley and released by the left-leaning Texas Freedom network shows fully one quarter of the state's public schools don't teach sex ed at all, and among those that do, 53% teach only an 'abstinence only' course.
This is in violation of state mandates that districts teach a program called 'abstinence plus,' which stresses that refraining from sexual activity is the best way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, but includes discussion of condoms and HIV risk.
"One district that I'm familiar with that was included in the study adopted a really good abstinence only program, but they haven't taught sex ed in five years, because the teachers who were trained to teach it have moved on," Wiley said.
Wiley said 'abstinence only' programs include gender stereotypes, provide inaccurate information, and marginalize gays.Wiley said as pressure increases from conservative lawmakers and from religious groups, many public school boards have felt the heat and decided to simply scrap sex ed altogether, rather than trying to navigate the social mine field.
"What has changed since out last study is the state of Texas no longer requires sex education as a graduation requirement."
The study says the result is continued unacceptably high rates of teen pregnancy. Being pregnant is still the number one reason why teenaged girls drop out of high school.
Several Democrat lawmakers who appeared at the event said it is 'hypocritical' for Republicans to restrict access to abortion services, while declining to support the teaching of robust sex education programs, which are known to lower the teen pregnancy rate.
WOAI PHOTO