1. February 2, 2011<br />Senator Lucas – <br />I am a senior nursing student at Old Dominion, taking a community health class. Our instructor has assigned a political activism paper in which we must research to find a bill currently in the House or Senate and determine our position on it, then write to our representatives with our determined opinion. <br />Throughout my schooling, I have been passionate about sexual or family life education. I believe that students should be taught comprehensive sexual education encompassing medically-accurate information that will show that there are other options if abstinence is not for that person. <br />All of the family life courses I took in school taught us that abstinence is the only way to avoid getting pregnancy and being infected with sexually transmitted infections. While this may be true, many do not want to follow this path and should know their options. These options include methods of contraception that have been proven to be very effective in preventing pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted infections. <br />Virginia teenagers deserve to know the whole truth about their evolving sexuality and how to handle it without risking their lives. In addition to teaching abstinence and contraception, the students should receive information based on the choices they have after choosing to have sexual relations. This information should include all options that they possess if they learn they are pregnant such as abortion, adoption, and raising the baby. <br />These classes also teach abstinence when it comes to drug use. While this is obviously the very best choice, “just say no” doesn’t cut it. Students need real help in how to decline offers and handle peer pressure so as to remain abstinent. <br />I think it is obvious here that the best way to protect the teenagers in Virginia is to give them the most comprehensive and medically-proven information to protect them. If this vote comes to you, I would greatly appreciate you voting for this bill (SB 967) to protect the future teenagers in our state. <br />Sincerely, <br />Casey Burritt<br />