Sex Education Programs

League of Women Voters^®
of Mississippi, Inc.

WHY IS THIS A PRIORITY: Mississippi has the highest birth rate in the nation for mothers age 10-14, 15-17 and 20-24. MS is second to Arkansas for ages 18-19.
The League supports a program of community awareness as well as specific preventative and follow-up services for pregnant teenagers. MS is eight-highest in the nation for HIV/AIDS for those 20-24 at 33.9 cases per 100,000 for ages 15-19 and 7.6 for 10-14. (Source: National Vital Statistics Systems, U.S 2008).
FACT: States that have comprehensive sex education programs have lower teen pregnancy rates.
LWV POSITION: Under the LWVUS position sex education programs are a part of the LWV Access to Health Care position.
The League supports the following community awareness efforts as well as specific preventative and follow-up services for pregnant teenagers:

Support comprehensive classroom instruction on human reproduction, parenting, sexual responsibility, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Support individual counseling and a district-wide policy of follow-up by school officials to make educational services available and accessible for pregnant teenagers including a confidential clearinghouse and telephone hotline and on-site day care services in schools to allow for the continued education of teen parents.

FACT: The Mississippi House passed legislation for a pilot program in 2009.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 7, 2010 22:15 PDT.