Sex Ed Rollback Would Be Bad For Idaho Families

House Committee Expected To Vote Friday On Sex Ed Rollback

BOISE – Parents, teachers, and faith leaders say a bill to rollback sex ed is bad for Idaho families. On Friday, the House Education committee is scheduled to hold a hearing and possible vote on HB 120, a bill that 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 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 anticipation of Friday’s hearing, Mistie Tolman, Idaho State Director of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, issued the following statement:

“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. 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.

Sex ed provides important life skills our young people need to become healthy adults. That’s why parents, teachers, medical experts, and faith leaders are telling Idaho legislators to stop a rollback of sex ed in our schools.

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.”