Parent opinion of sexuality education in a state with mandated abstinence education: does policy match parental preference?

Full Abstract

PURPOSE:
Despite public debate about the content of sexuality education in schools, state and federal policy has increasingly financed and legislated abstinence-only education over the past decade. Although public schools strive to meet the needs of parents who, as taxpayers, fund the educational system, little is known about parental desires regarding sexuality education in states with mandated abstinence education. The objective of this study was to assess parental opinion about sexuality education in public schools in North Carolina, a state with mandated abstinence education.

METHODS:
Computer-assisted, anonymous, cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted among 1306 parents of North Carolina public school students in grades K-12. Parental support for sexuality education in public schools and 20 sexuality education topics was measured. We defined comprehensive sexuality education as education that includes a discussion of how to use and talk about contraception with partners.

RESULTS:
Parents in North Carolina overwhelmingly support sexuality education in public schools (91%). Of these respondents, the majority (89%) support comprehensive sexuality education. Less than a quarter of parents oppose teaching any specific topic, including those typically viewed as more controversial, such as discussions about sexual orientation, oral sex, and anal sex. Parents' level of education was inversely related to support for specific sexuality education topics and comprehensive education, although these differences were small in magnitude. More than 90% of respondents felt that parents and public health professionals should determine sexuality education content and opposed the involvement of politicians.

CONCLUSIONS:
Current state-mandated abstinence sexuality education does not match parental preference for comprehensive sexuality education in North Carolina public schools.

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Author information

Author/s: Ito, Kristin E (KE); Gizlice, Ziya (Z); Owen-O'Dowd, Judy (J); Foust, Evelyn (E); Leone, Peter A (PA); Miller, William C (WC);

Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. ito(-atsign-)med.unc.edu

Grants: T32 HP14001-18 (Agency:PHS HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine (J Adolesc Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Nov; vol 39 (issue 5) : pp 634-41

Dates: Created 2006/10/18; Completed 2006/11/30; Revised 2007/12/05;

PMID: 17046498, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Educational Status
Female
Humans
Male

Male
Middle Aged
North Carolina
Parents - psychology
Public Opinion
Schools
Sex Education
Sexual Abstinence

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