2. THE FACTS
• SEXUALITY EDUCATION CURRICULUMSARE INTENDED TO TEACH STUDENTS SAFE SEX PRACTICES INCLUDING BIRTH
CONTROL OPTIONS AND STD PREVENTION. IN THE US SEX EDUCATION IS LACKING AND IT IS SURPRISING TO RESEARCH
WHAT TEENS SAY ABOUT WHAT THEY LEARNED THROUGH EDUCATION ABOUT SAFE SEX.
• HERE ARE SOME STATISTICS I FOUND ON REPORTS TEENS MADE ABOUT FORMAL SEX EDUCATION:
• IN 2006–2008,MOST TEENS AGED 15–19 HAD RECEIVED FORMAL INSTRUCTION ABOUT STIS (93%), HIV (89%) OR ABSTINENCE
(84%). HOWEVER, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF TEENS HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY FORMAL INSTRUCTION ABOUT CONTRACEPTION; FEWER
MALES RECEIVED THIS INSTRUCTION THAN FEMALES (62% VS. 70%).
• MANY SEXUALLY EXPERIENCED TEENS (46% OF MALES AND 33% OF FEMALES) DO NOT RECEIVE FORMAL INSTRUCTION ABOUT
CONTRACEPTION BEFORE THEY FIRST HAVE SEX
• ABOUT ONE IN FOUR ADOLESCENTS AGED 15-19 (23% OF FEMALES AND 28% OF MALES) RECEIVED ABSTINENCE EDUCATION WITHOUT
RECEIVING ANY INSTRUCTION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL IN 2006–2008
• AMONG TEENS AGED 18–19, 41% REPORT THAT THEY KNOW LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT CONDOMS AND 75% SAY THEY KNOW LITTLE
OR NOTHING ABOUT THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL

3. WHAT’S MISSING?
• CURRENTLY THERE IS NO AND LET ME SAY THAT
AGAIN NO LAW THAT REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO
HAVE EDUCATORS TEACH STUDENTS SEXUALITY
EDUCATION INCLUDING SAFE SEX AND
CONTRACEPTIVES USE.
• SCHOOLS ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO TEACH
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTION
WHICH IS TO TEACH ABSTINENCE.

4. SOUTH DAKOTA STATUTE 13-33-6.1
• 13-33-6.1. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTION. UNLESS THE GOVERNING BODY ELECTS, BY
RESOLUTION, EFFECTIVE FOR NOT LESS THAN ONE OR MORE THAN FOUR SCHOOL TERMS, TO DO
OTHERWISE, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTION SHALL BE GIVEN IN ALL PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE TO IMPRESS UPON THE MINDS OF THE STUDENTS
THE IMPORTANCE OF CITIZENSHIP, PATRIOTISM, HONESTY, SELF DISCIPLINE, SELF RESPECT, SEXUAL
ABSTINENCE, RESPECT FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MINORITY AND ETHNIC GROUPS TO THE HERITAGE
OF SOUTH DAKOTA, REGARD FOR THE ELDERLY, AND RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY.
• THIS IS THE ONLY LAW THAT SOUTH DAKOTA HAS IN REGARDS TO ANY TYPE OF SEXUALITY EDUCATION
AND IT DOESN’T STATE ANYTHING OTHER THAN STUDENTS NEED TO BE TAUGHT ABSTINENCE.

5. ABSTINENCE EDUCATION VS. SEX EDUCATION
• EXAMINING THE STATISTICS OF A SEXUALITY
EDUCATION CURRICULUM VS AN ABSTINENCE
CURRICULUM I FOUND THAT:
• ABSTINENCE IS GREAT BUT IN REALITY IT ONLY
WORKS IF KIDS AREN’T HAVING SEX RIGHT? WELL
HOW DOES THAT WORK IF STATISTICS INDICATE
THAT ONE-FOURTH OF 15-YEAR-OLDS HAVE HAD
SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AT LEAST ONCE, AND MORE
THAN HALF OF 17-YEAR-OLDS ARE SEXUALLY
ACTIVE? SO IF WE ARE TEACHING KIDS NOT TO
HAVE SEX BUT THEY ALREADY ARE HOW IS THAT
GOING TO TEACH THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

6. • THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS WHY THIS POLICY DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. IF VIDEO DOES NOT WORK HERE IS THE LINK:
• HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=D6XUW_XHPN4

7. WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
• AS SHE STATED IN THE VIDEO THERE ARE MANY
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NOT TEACHING SEX
EDUCATION INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
• TEEN PREGNANCY
• SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS OR DISEASES
• SEXUAL ASSAULT
• UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
• MULTIPLE SEX PARTNERS
• AND MOST IMPORTANTLY UNEDUCATED DECISIONS

8. TEEN PREGNANCY
• ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE I READ, ―TEENAGE MOTHERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN
POVERTY, DEPEND ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AND BE IN POOR HEALTH THAN SLIGHTLY OLDER MOTHERS. THEIR CHILDREN ARE MORE
LIKELY TO SUFFER HEALTH AND COGNITIVE DISADVANTAGES, COME IN CONTACT WITH THE CHILD WELFARE AND CORRECTIONAL
SYSTEMS, LIVE IN POVERTY, DROP OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND BECOME TEEN PARENTS THEMSELVES. ACCORDING TO A
RECENTLY UPDATED ANALYSIS BY THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT TEEN AND UNPLANNED PREGNANCY, THE ANNUAL PUBLIC
COST OF TEEN CHILDBEARING—DUE TO HIGHER COSTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, FOSTER CARE, INCARCERATION AND LOST TAX
REVENUE—IS NEARLY $9.4 BILLION.‖
• IT MAKES YOU THINK IF MORE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE PROPERLY EDUCATED ABOUT SAFE SEX AND BIRTH CONTROL INSTEAD OF
SCHOOLS PREACHING ABSTINENCE WOULD THERE BE LESS TEEN MOMS? TEENS ARE REBELLIOUS DON’T MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT
IF YOU TELL THEM NOT TO DO SOMETHING IT JUST MAKES THEM WANT TO DO IT MORE? IN COMPARING ABSTINENCE-ONLY
PROGRAMS WITH COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION, COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A 50% LOWER
RISK OF TEEN PREGNANCY ACCORDING TO SIECUS.

9. RELATIONSHIPS
• PEER PRESSURE IS IMMENSE IN SCHOOL EVERYONE WANTS TO FIT IN AND
BE PART OF THE ―COOL‖ CROWD. SO WHEN THE CUTE BOY OR GIRL YOU
LIKE SAYS LET'S DO IT, COME ON EVERYONE ELSE IS! WHAT DO YOU DO?
THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO BUILD HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
• THIS IS WHY THEY CAME UP WITH SEXUALITY EDUCATION BECAUSE IT
LEAVES KIDS WITH THE CHOICE TO CHOOSE, IT HELPS THEM SEE WHAT
WILL HAPPEN IF THEY DO OR DON’T. THEY GAIN THE SKILLS TO SEE WHAT
RELATIONSHIPS ARE ABOUT AND HOW SEX ISN’T JUST SEX IT CAN GET
YOU INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE.
• IN DEPTH CLASSES TEACH HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP SKILLS NOT JUST SEX.
THEY TEACH KIDS THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING SKILLS THAT ARE
NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS UNLIKE ABSTINENCE ONLY CLASSES THAT
REALLY TEACH NOTHING EXCEPT SAY NO. HOWEVER IT NEVER REALLY
TEACHES YOU HOW TO SAY NO.

10. INFECTIONS AND DISEASES
• ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION DOES NOT REDUCE THE INSTANCES OF STDS AND HIV IN YOUNG ADULTS IT
WAS FOUND THAT THE ONLY REDUCTION IN INFECTION RATES CAME FROM INCREASE USE IN BIRTH
CONTROL NOT FROM DECREASED SEXUAL ACTIVITY. WHICH BIRTH CONTROL INCREASES ONLY CAME
FROM STATES THAT IMPLEMENTED SEXUALITY EDUCATION CURRICULUMS.

11. SCARE TACTICS
• ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION USES THE TECHNIQUE OF SCARING
KIDS OUT OF SEX BY USE OF EXAGGERATED STATISTICS AND
GROTESQUE PICTURES.
• IS THIS REALLY AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET KIDS TO STOP HAVING
SEX? NO. WHY? BECAUSE KIDS LAUGH AT THESE TACTICS, THEY
DON’T WORK. TELLING A KID THAT A CONDOM IS WAY LESS EFFECTIVE
THAN IT ACTUALLY IS WILL JUST MAKE THEM HAVE SEX WITH NO
PROTECTION!!NOT ONLY MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE BUT IT
BRINGS US RIGHT BACK TO PREGNANCY AND DISEASE. TELLING A KID
AFTER THE FACT THAT IF THEY HAVE SEX THEY WILL GET THIS OR LOSE
THAT DOES NOTHING, BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THEY ARE
ALREADY DOING IT AND WITHOUT ANY EDUCATION TO PROTECT THEM.

12. IS IT THE ONLY OPTION?
• ABSTINENCE IS BY FAR THE BEST CHOICE TO AVOID PREGNANCY AND
DISEASE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER LIFE CHANGING EFFECTS OF
CHOOSING TO HAVE SEX BUT IS IT REALLY THE BEST OPTION, SHOULD IT
BE SO BLACK AND WHITE?
• SOUTH DAKOTA SHOULD HAVE A LAW THAT REQUIRES SEX EDUCATION
TO BE MORE IN DEPTH THAN JUST ―DON’T DO IT!‖ THAT WAY OUR YOUTH
CAN MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO SEX. ACCORDING
TO THE GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE ―COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION
PROGRAMS PROVIDE YOUTH WITH INFORMATION ON PREGNANCY AND
STDS; SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS, ORIENTATION AND VALUES; DECISION
MAKING AND NEGOTIATION; AND CONTRACEPTION, CONDOMS AND
SAFER SEX‖. ISN’T THIS WHAT WE SHOULD WANT FOR THE YOUTH? YOU
KNOW WHAT THEY SAY YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH EDUCATION.
WHY SHOULD IT SHOW ONLY ONE SIDE, SHOULDN’T THEY HAVE MORE
TOOLS AND BE PREPARED?

13. WORKS CITED
• "ABSTINENCE-ONLY-UNTIL-MARRIAGE PROGRAMS VIOLATE OUR BASIC RIGHTS." NO MORE MONEY. N.P., N.D. WEB. 07 APR. 2014.
• "FACTS ON AMERICAN TEENS' SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT SEX." FACTS ON AMERICAN TEENS' SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT SEX. N.P., FEB. 2012. WEB.
06 APR. 2014.
• "SEX IN THE STATES." SEX, ETC. N.P., N.D. WEB. 07 APR. 2014.
• "SOUTH DAKOTA ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FACTS." OFFICE OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH. N.P., N.D. WEB. 07 APR. 2014.
• "SOUTH DAKOTA STATE PROFILE." NATIONAL COALITION TO SUPPORT SEXUALITY EDUCATION -. N.P., N.D. WEB. 07 APR. 2014.
• "SOUTH DAKOTA STATUE 13-33-6.1." SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE. N.P., N.D. WEB. 07 APR. 2014.
• "STATE SEX AND HIV EDUCATION POLICY « » THE HENRY J. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION." STATE SEX AND HIV EDUCATION POLICY. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION,
2014. WEB. 07 APR. 2014.
• "TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION." TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION. N.P., N.D. WEB. 06 APR. 2014.