The House adopted a bill Thursday that would allow parents to choose the sexual education courses their children will receive in school.
The bill, which passed the House 62 to 52, would expand the abstince-only curriculum currently taught to middle school students to include "comprehensive" instruction. That course would still be based on the idea that abstince is the best way the avoid unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. But supporters say it would be a more complete curriculum that would be more effective than abstinence-only.
"I got a 42-year-old son. I love him," said Rep. Bill Faison, an Orange County Democrat who is 62. "But the reason I got a 42-year-old son is abstinence only doesn't work."
Opponents said they feared the bill would encourage teens to experiment with sex.
"The result, I believe, will be an increase in sexual activity in the adolescent population that I believe will put our adolescent teens more at risk," said Rep. Mark Hilton, a Conover Republican.
The bill now moves to the Senate.
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Re: Sex ed bill clears House
Faison needs to give himself a little more credit.
He probably got a lot of votes from 20 year olds this past election. Tell us what you really think about teenagers and young twenty somethings. If you could not figure out what unprotetcted sex could do then blame your parents not your school.