Date: Mon, 01 Feb 1999 16:35:24 -0800
From: Jean Richter <richter@eecs.berkeley.edu>
Subject: 2/1/99 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news

1. Report on states' mandated sexuality/HIV education

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From: OurYouth@aol.com
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 23:03:50 EST
To: network@YouthHIV.org
Subject: State Sexuality & HIV Education

Here is the most recent summary of State Laws from the National Abortions
Rights Action League (NARAL) report WHO DECIDES.  The complete report can be
ordered from NARAL (www.naral.org.).  

Sexuality and STD/HIV Education

SEXUALITY EDUCATION MANDATES

* Thirty-one states do not require schools to provide sexuality education.
(AK,AZ,AR,CA,CO,CT,FL,ID,IN,LA,ME,MA,MI,MS,MO,MT,NE,NH,NM,NY,ND,OH,OK,OR,PA,SD
,TX,VA,WA,WI,WY)

* Twenty states, including the District of Columbia, require schools to
provide sexuality education
(AL,DE,DC,GA,HI,IL,IA,KS,KY,MD,MN,NV,NJ,NC,RI,SC,TN,UT,VT,WV)

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS OF SEXUALITY EDUCATION MANDATES

*Of the 20 states that require school to provide sexuality education, four
require that sexuality education teach abstinence but do not require the
inclusion of information about contraception (AL,IL,KY,UT).  Of these four
states, three specify abstinence until marriage education (AL,IL,UT).

*Of the 20 states that require schools to provide sexuality education, ten
require that sexuality education teach abstinence and provide information
about contraception (DE,GA,HI,NJ,NC,RI,SC,TN,VT,WV).  Of these ten states,
four specify abstinence until marriage education (GA,NC,SC,TN)

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS WHEN SEXUALITY EDUCATION NOT MANDATED

*Of the 31 states that do not require schools to provide sexuality education,
ten require that if sexuality education is taught it must incabstinence but do
not require the inclusion of information about contraception
(AZ,AR,CO,FL,IN,LA,MI,MS,OK,TX).  
Of these ten states, six specify abstinence until marriage education
(AR,FL,IN,LA,MS,TX).

*Of the 31 states that do not require schools to provide sexuality education,
California, Oregon, and Virginia require that if sexuality education is taught
it must include abstinence and provide information about contraception.  Of
these three states, California and Virginia specify abstinence until marriage
education.

STD/HIV EDUCATION MANDATES

*Thirty-five states, including the District of Columbia, require schools to
provide STD, HIV, and/or AIDS education
(AL,CA,CT,DE,DC,FL,GA,HI,IL,IN,IA,KS,KY,MD,MI,MN,MO,NV,NH,NJ,NM,NY,NC,OH, OK,
OR,PA,RI,SC,TN,UT,VT,WA,WV,WI).

*Sixteen states do not require schools to provide STD, HIV, and/or AIDS
education (AK,AZ,AR,CO,ID,LA,ME,MA,MS,MT,NE,ND,SD,TX,VA,WY)

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS OF STD/HIV EDUCATION MANDATES

*Of the 35 states that require schools to provide STD, HIV, and/or AIDS
education, one requires that AIDS education teach abstinence until marriage
but does not require the inclusion of other AIDS prevention methods (IN).

*Of the 35 states that require schools to provide STD, HIV, and/or AIDS
education, 21 require that STD, HIV, and/or AIDS education teach abstinence
and other methods of prevention
(AL,CA,DE,FL,GA,HI,IL,KY,MI,NJ,NM,NY,NC,OK,OR,PA,RI,TN,VT,WA,WV). Of these 21
states, seven specify abstinence until marriage education (FL, GA, IL, NY, NC,
TN, WA).

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS WHEN STD/HIV EDUCATION NOT MANDATED

* Of the 16 states that do not require schools to provide STD,HIV, and/or HIV
education, Arizona, Mississippi, and Texas require that if STD, HIV, and/or
AIDS education is taught it must include abstinence but do not require the
inclusion of other prevention methods.  Of these three states, Mississippi and
Texas specify abstinence until marriage education.

*Of the 16 states that do not require schools to provide STD, HIV, and/or AIDS
education, Arkansas and Virginia require that if STD, HIV, and/or AIDS
education is taught it must teach abstinence and other methods of prevention.
Both of these states specify abstinence until marriage education.

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Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu
The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally)
CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT:
        http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/