Idaho Committee Votes to Roll Back Sex Ed For Students

Ignores Strong Opposition from Parents, Teachers, Planned Parenthood Experts

BOISE – This morning the House Education committee ignored overwhelming opposition from parents, teachers, teens, and experts from Planned Parenthood and voted on party lines to rollback of sex ed in public schools. The bill, HB 120, would prohibit public schools from providing instruction on human sexuality, including sexual orientation or gender identity, unless the parent/guardian actively opts-in in writing.

At a packed committee hearing earlier this week, dozens of Idaho parents, medical experts, teachers, teens and faith leaders called on legislators to reject the roll back of sex education.

In response to the vote, Mistie Tolman, Idaho State Director of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, issued the following statement:

“Parents, teachers, and faith leaders agree rolling back sex ed is bad for Idaho families. We are all concerned about our students’ health and safety. Contrary to what some fear, sex ed does not encourage young people to have sex - in fact it has the reverse effect.

Sex ed provides important life skills our young people need to become healthy adults. Studies show high-quality sex education helps young people delay sex and protect themselves when they do become sexually active. Sex ed also helps prevent sexual violence, coercion, abuse, and assault, by providing young people with important information about consent and healthy relationships.

The majority of parents want their children to learn these life skills in school - that’s why so few parents opt out of sex ed in Idaho already. It doesn’t make sense to require parents to opt in to any kind of education, including sex ed.”