Wednesday, March 17, 2004

State Politics & Policy

Colorado House Committee Approves Sex Education Parental Consent Measure

      The Colorado House Education Committee on Monday approved 6-5 a bill (HB 1375) that would require public school officials to obtain written approval from a parent if a planned curriculum includes information about human sexuality or "alternative lifestyles," the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports. Current state law allows schools to enroll students in sex education classes unless parents remove them, according to the Daily Sentinel. Of the state's 178 school districts, 18 offer "opt-in" sex education classes -- in which students do not participate unless their parents specificially request them to do so -- because they receive grants from the state Comprehensive Health Education Program. In order to qualify for the program, schools must offer an "opt-in" sex education program (Bender, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, 3/16). However, many other districts that do not receive the funding have policies allowing parents to "opt out" of having their children in sex education classes for religious or personal reasons, the Associated Press reports. Under the new bill, all schools would be required to inform parents about the sex education curriculum they plan to teach. State Rep. Shawn Mitchell (R), who sponsored the measure, originally proposed a measure banning the mention of "alternative sexual lifestyles" except in the context of discussing sexually transmitted diseases but changed the bill because of concerns that it did not have enough support to pass, according to the Associated Press (Slevin, Associated Press, 3/15). "Alternative lifestyles" are still referenced in the measure but the bill now applies to all sex education, the Coloradoan reports. The bill would apply to scheduled sex education classes but would not prohibit "spontaneous" class discussions, according to the Coloradoan (Benson, Coloradoan, 3/16). The bill next moves to the full state House for consideration, the Denver Post reports.

Reaction
Colorado AIDS Project spokesperson Jacqueline Long said that because HIV/AIDS and other STDs are "still afflicting millions makes sex education in Colorado vitally important" because most students receive their "best information in the classroom," according to the Post. She added, "It's a rare teenager that goes out and seeks safe sex information. It needs to come from a trusted professional" (Whaley, Denver Post, 3/16). "This is expanding the opportunity of parents to be aware of what information is going into their children's minds and hearts," Mitchell said, adding, "Giving parents some authority ... is not censoring the classroom" (Sanchez, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 3/16). Opponents say that students who are unable to talk to their parents about sex or to obtain their permission to take the class are often "the ones who need the classes the most," according to the Associated Press. "Those are kids who find out about sex through experience and on the streets," Kate Horle of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains said (Associated Press, 3/15).