Friday, May 15, 2009

Comprehensive Sex Health Education...


The Reproductive Health and Access Act (HB 2354) would require all Illinois public schools to teach medically-accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sexual health education. Parents would be allowed to remove their child from the class if they do not want them to participate.In addition, the bill also prohibits government interference with an individual's decision to use birth control, continue with a pregnancy, or terminate a pregnancy and ensures that government-funded health care programs, such as Medicaid, cover basic reproductive health services, including family planning, pre-natal care, and pap smears.

Currently, Illinois schools are not obliged to teach comprehensive sexual health education, or any sex education at all. If sex education is taught, the Illinois School Code does not require course materials and instruction to include information about contraception.Individuals have the right to education that promotes lifelong responsibility. We know that informed youth make healthy decisions. Students must be taught medically-accurate, age-appropriate, science-based sexual health education that is inclusive of all individuals.

The Reproductive Health and Access Act currently has 37 co-sponsors. On March 11, the bill passed out of the Illinois House Human Services Committee. On April 2, the entire House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill.We need you to take action! Please contact your state representative by email, letter, phone, or fax and tell her or him to vote in favor of the Reproductive Health and Access Act (HB 2354)!

For more information, visit the Illinois Campaign for Reproductive Health and Access website http://www.illinoisreproductivehealth.org/.

No comments:

Post a Comment