Committee Votes to Make Sex Education Classes Stress Abstinence

1/19/12 – A Wisconsin Assembly committee voted Wednesday to un-do what the Democrats did in 2010 – and again force sex education classes to stress abstinence. The education panel sent the measure to the full Assembly on a party line vote, with Republicans supporting the changes. For a year-and-a-half, schools that offer sex-ed have been ordered by the state to spell out contraceptive alternatives as part of a comprehensive teaching of sexual health. Under the G-O-P’s bill, they’d have to teach abstinence as the only sure way to avoid pregnancy and disease – and schools would have to teach the benefits of traditional marriage. Republicans say schools can teach more if they choose, and make more of their own decisions on how to teach sex education. The Senate okayed the measure last fall. Democrats and public health groups oppose it, saying their approach seeks to prevent teen pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases –

and they say both would be on the rise under the G-O-P bill. It could get a vote in the full Assembly as early as next week.