Utah Sex Education Bill To Teach Abstinence-Only Vetoed By Governor

By Bob Bernick

SALT LAKE CITY, March 16 (Reuters) - Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday vetoed a controversial bill banning public schools from teaching contraception as a way of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The bill, which also sought to bar instruction on homosexuality or other aspects of human sexuality other than the teaching of abstinence, would have been the first of its kind in the nation if it had become law.

It had previously cleared Utah's Republican-controlled House and Senate, and Herbert was widely expected to sign it.

In vetoing the measure, dubbed HB 363, Herbert said that as a parent and grandparent he considered proper sex education in public schools an important component to the moral education youngsters receive at home.

"If HB 363 were to become law, parents would no longer have the option the overwhelming majority is currently choosing for their children. I am unwilling to conclude that the state knows better than Utah's parents as to what is best for their children," he said.

"In order for parents to take on more responsibility, they need more information, more involvement, and more choice-not less. I cannot sign a bill that deprives parents of their choice," he added.

Supporters of the bill argued that sex education was best left up to parents. (Editing by Tim Gaynor)

Comments

[sw 2012]

10:12 AM on 04/29/2012

Instead of nurturing ignorance, why don't we empower our children with comprehensive knowledge about their bodies and how to protect themselves. This would not only serve to educate them, but to also help guard against child sexual abuse and it's insidious mental, emotional and physical effects.

[forrest macgregor]

07:47 AM on 04/01/2012

Who says conservatives have no brains? Bravo for a brave republican. About time one stood up for education.

Oh, wait. This is April 1st?! Damn. (Just kidding.)

Good for you, Governor Herbert. I hope you set a trend. I really, really, really hope you set a trend.

[Seven Teenatheart]

06:45 PM on 03/21/2012

Good for him! Good for the children of Utah!

[l78lancer]

05:50 PM on 03/21/2012

Like with the governor, when you really think about what's best for families instead of politics you come up with decisions like this.

Good for him.

[l78lancer]

05:48 PM on 03/21/2012

""If HB 363 were to become law, parents would no longer have the option the overwhelming majority is currently choosing for their children. I am unwilling to conclude that the state knows better than Utah's parents as to what is best for their children," he said."
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The reasoning applied here by the governor is sound and sane. He should be commended for not giving in to political ideology that has no basis.

Now if legislators throughout the country would apply the same judgement and reasoning with respect to their rush to creationism legislation calm and rationality would prevail.

[KevinNevada]

09:28 AM on 03/21/2012

Good decision, Governor! This extremist notion had been offered several times by one particular legislator, in past sessions but never got this far, before.

The Tea Party elected a slew of fools to state legislatures everywhere in 2010. We were all told they were "fiscal conservatives" but in one state after another they have focussed on imposing their religious notions upon the rest of us, via the government. So in Utah, we see this one previously-isolated fool now has friends, and can get his notions passed.

They whine about "Obamacare" and fulminate about "government health care", then work overtime to ram the government inside of everyone's underwear, especially the women.

A reaction to all this nonsense is building, in many states. The GOP will suffer the results on November 6, up and down the ticket.

[writerbeverly]

08:35 PM on 03/20/2012

For whatever reason the governor did this, kudos to him for standing up for the kids and their parents, who WANT sex education in schools.

[KevinNevada]

09:30 AM on 03/21/2012

All these abstinence-only programs end up lying to the kids to get their notions across. A real intelligent sex ed class teaches "no" as an option but also informs them factually of what they need to know if they do not abstain.

Lying to teenagers never works out very well, in the long run.

[writerbeverly]

09:52 AM on 03/21/2012

Exactly. Lies *will* be found out - and all that does it create an atmosphere of "If they're lying about A, can I ever trust them about B, C & D?"

[DevonTexas]

12:15 PM on 03/20/2012

Wow.... a sober moment in drunken GOP majority legislation!

[blueagle8u]

12:05 PM on 03/20/2012

Oh yeah! Terrific! Nothing like trying to pass a Bill that feeds Ignorance and censorship!

[StopMakingSense2]

12:04 PM on 03/20/2012

See the brain dead policies conservatism gets you! Superstition only causes suffering! No matter how many times they do it you keep thinking it will be different next time! Who's the enabler? ROFLMAO!!!!

[juanftl]

11:46 AM on 03/20/2012

Thankfully, the Governor of Utah is the only one with a brain not wired to the 19th century!

[StopMakingSense2]

12:01 PM on 03/20/2012

I mock him daily but then I'm not really mocking him since he doesn't exist, just those to weak of mind to question their baseless beliefs.

[DevonTexas]

12:15 PM on 03/20/2012

only by inane comments like that anyway.

[ritamary]

11:40 AM on 03/20/2012

Governor Herbert, congratulations on your common sense, but I don't think you have much of a future in the Republicon Party now.

[WinterM]

11:45 AM on 03/20/2012

He could always go either Libertarian, Independent, or Democrat with this display of sense.

[zenman2]

11:59 AM on 03/20/2012

He's yours, like all the other extremist

[phal4875]

05:39 PM on 03/20/2012

The man is now dead GOP meat.

[Fugitaboutit]

11:23 AM on 03/20/2012

Didn't we deal with all this stuff in the late 1600's in Salem, MA? Why are we digging up issues of morality and sexuality this election cycle?

Oh...I forgot...because the numbskulls running don't have any answers for the real problems.

What was I thinking?

[HOMEY1]

11:19 AM on 03/20/2012

ITS UTAH THE WIVES OF THESE CLOWNS CUT THEM OFF AND THEY ARE PISSED. GET OUT YOUR MAGIC UNDERWARE BOYS AND READ THE MAGIC PLATES OH IM SORRY ONLY MUUTTSO CAN READ THE PLATES. PRAY TO THE GREAT SALAMANDER.