Illinois Sex Ed Law Requiring Teachers To Talk Contraception Passes Senate

A bill eked its way to a victory by the narrowest possible margin in the Illinois Senate Wednesday, mandating that sex-ed teachers educate students on contraception as well as abstinence.

House Bill 3027, which was rewritten in the Senate to be a bill about sex education, passed that chamber with 30 "yeas," the lowest number possible to advance legislation. It mandates that teachers use "age-appropriate" and "medically accurate" materials to teach students how to protect themselves and their partners during sex, the Associated Press reports. Currently, teachers are only required to teach abstinence as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

The bill does not mandate that districts teach sex-ed, however; it only applies to those that already do, and parents can review course materials beforehand to determine if they want their child enrolled.

Advocates were steadfast in their defense of the measure, despite opposition from some family groups and other conservatives. "There's been some suggestion that perhaps this isn't needed, that there's not a problem," said Senator Heather Steans, a Democrat from Chicago who sponsored the legislation, according to the Carmi Times. "Well, I'd like to give you the facts that suggest very much why this bill is needed."

One Republican, Sen. Dan Duffy, pointed to California's comprehensive sex education policy, which he argues has not helped the situation in that state. "Why do you want to duplicate a failed policy?" the Chicago Tribune quotes Duffy asking. "This policy would do the opposite of what we want -- increase pregnancies and increase the frequency of STDs."

Still, Steans was able to navigate the measure through the choppy waters of the Senate, an improvement over her previous attempt. Three weeks ago, the measure only got 29 votes; Steans brought it back up this time with some modifications intended to assuage the concerns of her more conservative colleagues.

Comments

[lgc12345]

06:40 PM on 05/29/2011

Hah... You can teach this over over again some kids will listen some wont.....honestly they should give them information on where to get the morning after pill.

[crookedcountyillinois]

12:32 PM on 05/29/2011

"Currently, teachers are only required to teach abstinence as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases."

Sometimes it seems like we're living in Afghanistan.

[Demarcus Jackson]

09:54 AM on 05/27/2011

It is about damn time!

[homeroid2]

07:05 AM on 05/27/2011

Does this bill include Catholic schools? Oh yeah the Pope is above the law.....

[edgeninja]

12:59 AM on 05/27/2011

"Why do you want to duplicate a failed policy?"

You mean abstinence?

[ilbarbieredelcemento]

01:13 AM on 05/27/2011

Since when has abstaining from sexual activity failed to prevent pregnancy or STDs?

[edgeninja]

03:08 AM on 05/27/2011

You haven't known many teenagers, have you?

[carmenalex]

10:10 AM on 05/27/2011

Abstinence is a failed endeavor. Met any teenagers? Heck, I was raised in strict religious home and went to parochial abstinence only school...still lost my virginity at 15. My sister at 14. Literally most adolescents where having sex. And it was a PAROCHIAL school. Girls do get pregnant, they just get whisked away before anybody finds out. Teenagers will have sex...promise rings and all.

[ChiGuy]

07:06 PM on 05/26/2011

Time and time again abstinence only programs have been shown to be a complete failure in deterring teens from exploring their new found sexuality. They're going to do it. They should, at the very least, be aware of how to do it safely.

[jockmama]

04:44 PM on 05/26/2011

The truly amazing thing is how many parents are going to petition to have their children exempted from such classes. They won't teach it at home, and won't allow their kids to hear it in school. So who are they gonna sue when little Tammie turns up preggers at 14, and Johnny has four kinds of STDs? Because you KNOW they're going to look for someone ELSE to blame it on!

[Max Shaw]

04:11 PM on 05/26/2011

This barely passed?? Really? Geez..no wonder we have a STD issuse the size of which is astounding...

[rextrek]

11:23 AM on 05/27/2011

the regressives - trying to take america back to a Time that NEVER was......."Leave it to Beaver" , and "Hazel" days.....you know even before there were black maids in white homes. Funny MOST of the RED states have the HIGHEST STD's, Highest DRUGS, Highest OBESITY Rates, Highest Unwanted pregnancies........Im seeing a Pattern here....anyone else?

[benji85]

01:32 PM on 05/26/2011

Good, kids are going to have sex, and they need to know how to properly protect themselves.