BOE to Consider Abstinence-Only Education

April 9 - From safe sex to abstinence, parents and the state Board of Education can't seem to agree on how sex education should be taught in Kansas schools. A new plan presented by one board member is turning a heated debate into a public battle.

Under current state regulations, each Kansas school district has the right to decide what should and should not be included in it's sex ed curriculum. On Tuesday, the Board of Education will consider changing that. The newly proposed regulation tells Kansas school districts they must provide sex education that promotes abstinence until marriage. It's a proposal that's sparking a hot debate among board members.

Board member Carol Rupe doesn't agree with the proposal. Rupe says, "I don't think just telling them just to say no and putting our head in the sand is helping any teenager."

Rupe believes curriculum like the one Wichita public schools currently uses is best for Kansas kids. It includes a full discussion of birth control methods, sexually transmitted disease and abstinence.

Board member Kathy Martin proposed the new regulation and disagrees with Rupe. Martin says, " It will give all of the very accurate information about STDs and about contraception but will not advocate contraception which is what some of the other programs seem to do."

Rupe says the state has already been cautioned that the new regulation may not sit well with Kansas schools. She agrees in a perfect world teens would wait to have sex, but says the fact that all of the Wichita public high schools have day care facilities for students just proves that teens aren't waiting.

The BOE will hold meetings in Wichita for the next three days. The sex ed issue will be discussed on Tuesday. Board members are not expected to vote, but there will be chance for the public to voice their opinions at North High School at 1437 Rochester on Tuesday morning at 10:15am.