Dive Brief:
- Louisiana Rep. Patricia Smith (D) introduced a new bill that would establish “age appropriate” sex education standards in public elementary and secondary schools. Rep. Smith said the lack of mandated sex education is “really a form of child abuse.”
- Currently, Louisiana law allows secondary schools to provide abstinence-focused sex education for students above the sixth grade. However, the state does not have any standardized sex education curriculum and the subject is banned in elementary schools.
- While the new law would allow parents to opt out of the curricula by writing a note, it still is met by opposition by those, such as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) and various social conservative groups, who contend parents should have sole authority over their children’s sex education.
Dive Insight:
As of 2012, Louisiana has one of the highest teen birth rates in the nation. The state’s STD rate is also one of the highest in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2012 Surveillance Report. These facts are difficult to ignore and show a disconnect in the state’s current, non-existent approach to sex education.