Oklahoma Representative calls for more sexual education

 

In 2008, Oklahoma teens gave birth to 7,581 babies, which cost taxpayers an estimated $190 million dollars, according to Tulsa World. This statistic suggests that young people in that state are in need of more programs that encourage them to practice safer sex. If these teens get pregnant, they are most likely not using condoms, which increases their chances of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

"This is just so startling to me," says state Representative Jeannie McDaniel, (D-Tulsa), quoted by the news source "Someone's paying for all of this, whether it's state or federal. It's all tax dollars. I just can't get my head around why people wouldn't rather educate and prevent these problems than deal with the consequences of unintended pregnancies, which go on forever."

In response to this problem, McDaniel is supporting a bill called the Healthy Students Act of 2012, which would encourage more sexual education that would include explaining the dangers of peer pressure, drug and alcohol use, and unsafe sex.

The legislation would require boards of education in the state to provide "medically accurate and age-appropriate instruction" on sexual health and STIs, among other issues. Janet Pearson, author of the Tulsa World article, stated that while she received a solid academic education in public schools, she wished she had been taught more about sexual matters such as "how to say no to a boyfriend" and "how to avoid debilitating and serious health conditions."

Avert.org states that it has been argued that sexual education is a necessary part of maintaining the rights of young people to be informed about matters that involve them. The website added that effective sex ed is the kind that helps teens avoid the potentially negative outcomes of sexual behavior, such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy, while simultaneously enhancing their ability to have positive relationships in the future.