Wisconsin Senate Bill Requires Sex Education Focus On Abstinence, Marriage

A bill that would require schools in Wisconsin to promote abstinence and marriage in sexual education classes has passed in the Senate, the Northwestern reported.

The bill, which passed 17-15 along party lines, wouldn't bar lessons on contraception, but mandates that curricula highlight abstinence as the only reliable way to avoid pregnancies and STD's.

The Republican-backed motion comes after Democrats passed a bill last year which regulated that sex ed lessons touch on all forms of contraception.

Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach argued against the legislation, telling FOX News that the passed bill is "taking a step back to the Flintstone era."

The International Business Times reported that looking back on the state's statistics support the Democrat's opposition.

"Anecdotal evidence is mostly in Democrats' favor. For example, in 2008, Milwaukee began to teach teens about contraception as well as abstinence, and the city's teen birth rate subsequently dropped from 52 per 1,000 teens in 2006 to 35.7 per 1,000 teens in 2010."

Now that the bill has passed in the Senate, it heads to the state Assembly.

Wisconsin isn't alone in school sexual education controversy. Last month New York City rocked the boat when their department of education recommended new curriculum inform on sexual topics including everything from bestiality to phone sex and vibrators.

After parents and politicians alike launched a wave of criticism, the New York Department of Education dialed back its proposed changes, removing some of the more X-rated content including flash cards for middle schoolers which explained sex acts like anal sex and mutual masturbation.

Comments

[buckydumpster]

10:08 PM on 12/20/2011

We shouldn't teach kids about condoms. We should teach them about marriage. What percentage of condoms fail?

[buckydumpster]

09:59 PM on 12/20/2011

I guess Wisconsin is open for jobs. Screw Jobs.

[tpeserik]

04:03 PM on 11/08/2011

I'm torn on this. Obviously, abstinence is the only foolproof method to avoid unwanted pregnancies & STDs. However, we need to make sure our kids are familiar with all their options. Case in point, I went to a private, religious high school which was against extramarital sex but we also spent time covering all the methods of birth control; as a result, even though I know for a fact many of our students were out having sex, it was a rarity for even one girl to be pregnant. We were prepared. I think there's a fine balance to be made in this, & as long as they continue to teach about contraceptives, this bill might not be a bad thing. We'll see, & I'm guessing soon Republicans will push this to an "abstinence only" bill, in which case it better not pass.

[ny rebel]

03:35 PM on 11/08/2011

These idiots create more abortions than any other group on earth!!! First, they want to defund family planning. Now they want to tell teenagers to JUST SAY NO!!! Are these people that out of touch with reality??? The new wave of Republican laws and defunding family planning across this country has probably created more abortions over the last year than group could possibly try to! I'm 54, an Independent and just cannot understand why you want to go back to Neanderthal days? Do parents actually think they can control their teenagers to this degree? Very Naive.

[Tom Iarossi]

12:46 AM on 11/08/2011

When there was no sex ed in schools, kids had sex. When it was first introduced, they had sex. Where abstinence-only is mandated, they have sex. When they go to their silly purity balls, they have sex. Seeing a pattern here? We need to provide them with the knowledge and resources to remain safe.

[paulsword]

01:57 AM on 11/08/2011

We also "...need to provide them with the knowledge and resources to"... live Godly lives:) Self-respect and the desire to live ABOVE the "norm" reduces many societal problems. God offers an "Immeasurable Life" when one seeks to be Holy... or "separated from sin":) Of course, morality cannot be dictated... only taught and demonstrated. What we are seeing in this country is a deterioration of values brought about by taking God and the teaching of the Scriptures out of public places... including our school system... !!!

[RED BONE]

07:29 AM on 11/08/2011

What if I don't believe in your beliefs? What then? Am I going to be forced to live my live by your morals and values?

[paulsword]

11:01 AM on 11/08/2011

Hey Red Bone... Are you referring to "self-respect and the desire to live above the norm"... of a society that is experiencing rapid growth in pregnancies out of wedlock... higher levels of drug use encouraging the influx of armed illegal Mexican drug gangs invading our country... sexual harassment running rampant even in middle and high school (check current HP article)... hundreds of thousands of protesters accompanied by foreign agitators trashing our major cities without a clue of exactly what they are trying to accomplish? Does YOUR belief system condemn these acts and practices? If so... then MY prescription for solving these problems lies in the adherence to the teachings I have suggested. These are the kinds of problems Christ came to resolve. He is known for His encounter with Pontius Pilate, where He said, "Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and ...for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice". (Continued)

[gloriaswanson43]

09:41 AM on 11/07/2011

I found this article today: http://www.salon.com/2011/10/30/solving_americas_teen_sex_problem/

It's worth the read if you're interested. Thx.

[paulsword]

10:38 AM on 11/07/2011

Quite predictable here on HP;) Your article on parents encouraging their 16 year-old daughter to have orgies in their own home is appropriately accompanied in the same Salon issue by another article about men who enjoy acquiring multiple sex partners for their wives... another about the concept of "slut walk" where mothers encourage their young daughters to experiment with sex... and another about the life of a porn star. As to the wife whose husband has to tend her kids sired by multiple sex partners, as the author compared to the "Cuckoo bird", you might research the sex life of the Weaver birds... wherein males sometimes have dozens of "wives". BTW... most ALL birds mate for life:) Now there's a concept worth exploring... !!!:) Did it EVER occur to liberated women that maybe a young man would REALLY prefer to marry a woman who has not given her precious gift to other men... over and over... instead of waiting for the man she is going to spend (hopefully) the rest of her life with and with whom she is going to raise children... ???

[RED BONE]

07:37 AM on 11/08/2011

BTW... most ALL birds mate for life:) get your facts together first before you make blanket statements

Most of our North American birds do not mate for life. Rather, most pair bonds are formed for a single season. Those birds that pair for a season are referred to as monogamous pairs. Monogamy is one male bird with one female bird through a single nesting cycle.

http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Birds-Mate-Life.html

[paulsword]

12:02 PM on 11/08/2011

Hey Red Bone… Your brief counter to my “briefer” comment does contain some truth:) However, some distinction should be made. Most birds that are not migratory DO remain monogamous… for life. My many years devoted to the field of aviculture allowed me to be “up close and personal” with countless pairs of birds. In the observance of these birds in captivity… in large groups of the same species and varieties… it became quite obvious the devotion between mates:) Let me describe one particular experience from several years ago. My wife and I were living in the Washington D.C. area while I was in the Army. We could not have dogs or cats in the upstairs apartment in a private home where we lived. We subsequently purchased two pairs of finches from a neigborhood pet shop and a typical bird cage. One pair was very small… small enough so that one morning we discovered one of the birds was missing. He/she had managed to go through the bars and an open window. That night, the second pair was snuggled on either side of the remaining mate. The next morning, that little bird was lying lifeless at the bottom of the cage:( One of many lessons learned. This final chapter answers the question posed by the author of the article you provided a link to. Birds DO mourn the loss of a mate. Are you a bird fancier?

[paulsword]

01:41 PM on 11/06/2011

How do we discourage drunk driving... ??? Do we teach drinkers how to take breath mints to cover the smell... and take side roads when drunk in order to avoid the police ??? NO... we bring them into a class where we show them film clips of actual automobile accidents that resulted from drunk driving... with mangled bodies and demolished vehicles... showing closeups of the blood, alcohol, broken glass, funerals, coffins, and sobbing family members…!!! THAT'S how you prevent drunk driving…!!!:)

The same strategy should be used to prevent unwanted pregnancies IF the NEA is truly interested in effectively addressing the issue. Have pregnant unmarried girls and young mothers with babies give testimonies of how reckless and irresponsible it is to have pre-marital sex and how their giving in to temptation has ruined their lives. Teaching underage students how to have sex (of all kinds) is NOT the way to do it... !!! Have they REALLY thought this through??? Again, records support the point I am making:) Teach underage kids the repercussions of pre-marital sex and you will thus have more "sexually mature adults":) It is not the ADULTS who are being TAUGHT how to have sex in grade school... !!!

This flawed "philosophy" is as idiotic as "padding" grades in order to maintain accreditation and qualification. The CORRECT way for teachers to fulfill their duties is to TEACH students the material... !!! WHAT A NOVEL CONCEPT???”

[PirateJohn]

06:42 PM on 11/07/2011

Hate to let facts get in the way of a good theory, but the reality is that places where abstinence-only sex education is taught are generally the places with the highest rate of teen pregnancy.

Condoms, birth control, etc. are available for a reason, and I just don't see the value of keeping children ignorant of that fact.

[paulsword]

01:24 AM on 11/08/2011

The facts you present ARE correct... to a point... except that IF the abstinence programs were of the same style as the "scared straight" variety of drug and alcohol prevention classes instead of a basic "Just say no." brand... their success rate would certainly be higher. Fact is... in programs where kids are taught contraception... even the students who would otherwise subscribe to abstinence will be inclined to give in to temptation when pressured. That factor demonstrates how the innocent and well-meaning are led astray by the system. The individuals who are determined to have sex under ANY circumstances will do so regardless of what they are "taught" or whether or not contraceptives are available. Any kid today ALREADY knows about contraceptives. They do not need to be taught about THAT kind of prevention. Handing out condoms is like providing ammunition to someone and then telling them not to fire the gun. Besides, as mentioned before, NO method of contraception is totally "FOOLproof" against pregnancy OR STD's... !!! Students are being deceived about this issue:( Playing "Russian Roulette" is not a good idea when you are talking about a possible lifetime of regrets.

[paulsword]

01:34 AM on 11/08/2011

P.S. Of course, teaching students that sex before marriage is against God's requirement for a Holy life would be advisable... but I suppose THAT is just one more aspect of education that is unfortunately prohibited in public schools:( That is why I have so far avoided that approach in this forum.

[buckydumpster]

09:40 PM on 12/20/2011

You don't have a clue. Teaching kids not to have sex is like teaching people to not be right handed. Get your head out of your sand.

[revrendsyne]

06:32 PM on 11/05/2011

Can't we pass a bill against frivolous bills like this one. Any Republicing trying to introduce a frivolous bill that is none of their business or pertaining to false morality, should be publicly beat and sent to Iran, where they have laws like this.

[jameslecomte]

06:44 PM on 11/05/2011

By the same logic any Democrat trying to introduce a frivolous bill that is none of their business.... Read the article. This bill was in response to a Democratic bill passed last year that only provided students with one point of view {just like they only allow one point of view in Iran}. Ask a doctor what the only 100% sure way to avoid pregnancy and STDs is. The only honest answer is abstinence.

[revrendsyne]

08:51 AM on 11/06/2011

James the Dems are trying to get opinion, religion, and ignorance out of reality and out of the class room. And they should not teach any POINT OF VIEW.tHEY SHOULD TEACH FACTS. Ask a doctor the only sure way not to get fat, The only honest answer is don't eat, ask him the only sure way not to get lung cancer. The only honest answer is don't breath. Ya kind of silly isn't it, same as abstinence. Abstinence is not reality nor is it a valid point of view just like abstinence from even meat isn't natural nor is the right wing point of view healthy. Kids should not have sex until they are mature enough to handle it but also they should not be made to believe that it should only be done by married people. Humans are mammals, sex as natural to mammals as breathing. Abstinence is not. Schools should teach facts, reality and science not beliefs or points of views.

[droopykt]

06:02 PM on 11/05/2011

After all prospective opinions given, only those of hvsmrspct seem to totally reflect and expound on the importance of morality, responsibility and self-respect, opinions that both define and differentiate the lowly animal kingdom from that of our ( supposedly ) higher intellectually God-given existence of man. Sadly once again, many opinions of younger generations are becoming both irresponsibly irrational in their rebellious cries to just toss morality away like a used condom and go with the " anything goes ' tunnel-vision mentality. hvsmrspct is dead right in his analysis regarding the difference between ' responsible sex education ' and DEVIATE sex education, which not only helps PROMOTE lascivious immorality to its' furthest extremes, but also illegally INTRUDES into our own private and/or religious lives while the state forcibly tries to indoctrinate both our way of life and our children with pure filth and pornographic propaganda under the guise of ' preventative and responsible ' imperative education.

[AnJalyn]

11:32 PM on 11/05/2011

*claps* You are AWESOME.

[gloriaswanson43]

11:33 AM on 11/06/2011

There's polygamy and prostitution in the OT. In the NT, Paul states 'if you must have sex, get a wife' which tells me that Paul dislikes sex and thinks it should be avoided. Hardly a healthy perspective.

[paulsword]

11:00 AM on 11/07/2011

Of course, there has ALWAYS been polygamy, prostitution, murder, and all other sins as described in Scripture. Paul was merely advising his listeners and readers that if one wants to dedicate his/her life to a particular ministry... the goal is EASIER to accomplish IF he... or she... is ABLE to freely devote full attention to the teachings of Christ without the responsibilities associated with marriage. In many cases, the taking of that position has proven to exhibit much wisdom:) Unless a mate is completely supportive of his/her spouse... a less than effective ministry (OR marriage) will result... :)

[revrendsyne]

05:53 PM on 11/05/2011

Is there amy age that Republicans butt out of others lives or do they do it all their lives?

[lindenfeldlh]

10:51 PM on 11/05/2011

The Republicans are trying to give teens the freedom of making a choice. The Democrats passed a bill last year saying that schools can only teach safe sex and the use of condoms, etc. Abstinence was not even offered as an alternative. Teens have a right to know all alternatives concerning their bodies and whether they have sex or not. When are the Democrats going to keep their noses out of private personal choices. Whoops! The Democrats don't give a choice, they just say do it our way and no other way. The Republicans are asking to give teens an educated choice about their sexual behavior.

[revrendsyne]

08:00 AM on 11/06/2011

Abstinence is not a choice, and they are teaching abstinence until marriage. Abstinence does not teach kids to protect themselves and they imply that having it out of marriage is wrong. That is a forced opinion. Republicans need to stay out of sex because judging by past records they are not very good at it.

[kewgardensnyc]

05:38 PM on 11/05/2011

There is no free lunch. Children who are not informed about reality will make mistakes and we are to blame. The STD and pregnancy rates for the US, as opposed to Western Europe, are frightful and whatever posturing lawmakers might have about human sexualities which is not supported by scientific data is magical thinking at its worst.
We condemn children to have children with all the attendant social disruptions of lack of schooling, job opportunity and the good life of being loving, mature parents WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT.
We force people to use seatbelts in cars, we publish accounts on what happens when we smoke and when we drink too much, but we are lost in the simple fact that we are all sexual and this includes children.
Give children the facts: let them grow up in a normal world of cause and effect, learning responsibility and maturity.
Let us not shrink from our individual and collective duty in being honest to our future. Simple, matter of fact sex ed is necessary and should be obligatory for all federally funded school systems. It is a point of national security in the long term; wanted children make good citizens, pay taxes and contribute, unwanted babies continually drag on the system.
Study after study indicates that abstinence doesn't work as a deterrent to sex, just as just say no doesn't work with drugs. Governments which live in cloud cuckoo land don't endure, they fail and drag down their people with them.

[lindenfeldlh]

05:23 PM on 11/05/2011

The article and news feed are ridiculous. the whole idea that kids so often use, "Aw Mom, everybody's doing it." Haven't we learned yet that in fact not everyone is doing "it." "It" being having sex. What is wrong with teaching the teens there are good reasons to practice abstinence, but realize that it is not as sure of a thing as protected sex. Without the teaching of abstnence teens feel they are expected to have sex. What if they choose not to have sex? Does that make them weird or something? Both protection and abstinence should be taught. If a teen decides to have sex then they should use protection. At the same time if a teen doesn't want to have sex and prefers abstinence, then why shouldn't they learn about that too. Not all teens are out there trying to get laid. Some teens respect their bodies and do not want to be committing fornication (sex before marriage), which is just as bad as sodomy according to the Bible. Teens should have the choice of abstinence or protected sex with an unbiased education to go along with it.

[helenherowe]

06:29 AM on 11/07/2011

Your thoughts are good to a point. Abstinence should be taught along with all forms of contraception. Add to that the morning after pill. All young people mature at different times and should not feel forced into sex before they are ready. However, they should have sexual knowledge. You are wrong about respecting their bodies, you can have sex before marriage and still respect your body. Your religious crap comes through in the next to last two sentences. That is your right and you and your religion can teach that to your kids but it has no place in a publice school, mainly because it is garbage.

[beth2216]

05:24 PM on 11/05/2011

I think some people need to go back and read the article. There are some on this thread that are complaining about them only teaching abstinence. That's not what is going on. They are teaching about contraceptives. Abstinence is a form of contraceptive. Just go to your local Ob-Gyn or look up a list about different contraceptives. Abstinence is on that list. They are just letting kids know that it is ok not to have sex (because as much as some people say otherwise- not all teens are having sex). They are also letting children know about the most effective form of contraceptive and way to prevent STDs...

[ramp613]

09:05 AM on 11/07/2011

Do you realize that abstinance can have much lower effectiveness in typical use than other forms of contraception and STD prevention?

[beth2216]

09:16 AM on 11/07/2011

No. Actually the "effectiveness" of abstinence is greater than any other form of contraceptive. However, (what I believe you are saying) it's the one form that is not commonly used (effectiveness and use are two different things). True, not many people use it, but to leave it out completely isn't right. There are some teenagers that are not having sex. We cannot assume that every teenager is having sex, on the other hand, we cannot assume that every teenager is not having sex. We need to provide information on all contraceptives, because there may be one student that really doesn't want an STD. While, condoms lower the risk, they do not lower it enough to completely protect you from getting one. We need to provide and educate on all forms of contraception and that includes abstinence. It let's the students know that it is an option, and they are allowed to choose abstinence. It provides support for those who want to wait till they are mature enough or, if they want, wait till marriage.

[arcangelms]

05:11 PM on 11/05/2011

Again with the abstinence issue. For a group of people, conservatives, that want to keep the government out of peoples lives, they sure havd a habit of getting into peoples bedroom and telling poeple what there sexual habits should have.

[lindenfeldlh]

11:01 PM on 11/05/2011

Conservatives are not trying to get into people's private lives. They are trying to give teens a choice. They want both the use of condoms and the use of abstinence taught as a choice. The liberals seem to think there is only one way to provide sex education by promoting the use of condoms. Not all teens want to have sex and they need to know of the alternative to sexual activity. Conservatives are just trying to provide an alternative choice for those teen that do not want to be sexually active and that it is all right too. If a teen chooses to use abstinence it is not 100% prevenative. Like many teens they slip and give in, perhaps even feeling raped by being pressured into behavior they do not really desire, but give into because of peer pressure or the idea that everyone is having sex. They need to be educated about the choice of abstinence as well as the use of condoms.

[arcangelms]

02:05 PM on 11/07/2011

This cause for abstinence has been around for, well ever. The reason for abstinence teahing is as much to impose a pro religious doctrine on people. That sex must be in confines of marriage only. For kids that don't want to sex, guess what they don't. And I agree they need to educate choices but the article was about only teaching abstinence.

[arcangelms]

05:08 PM on 11/05/2011

Now if only 17 parents from the past had practiced abstinence we would not have had this issue brought up.