Abortion Opponents Condemn Proposed Illinois Sex Ed Bill

The American Independent: Illinois anti-abortion-rights group condemn sex-ed bill, by Sofia Resnick:

The Illinois General Assembly will address a proposed state education bill mandating more comprehensive sex education in its fall veto session, which begins today. Anti-abortion-rights groups, such as the Illinois Family Institute and the Illinois Right to Life, have condemned the bill on morality charges and are trying to thwart its passage.

HB 3027 would amend the state school code and require that each class that teaches sex education and/or discusses sexual intercourse in sixth through 12th grades must include instruction on both abstinence and contraception as preventative methods against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Additionally, the sex-ed instruction would need to be evidenced-based and medically accurate; however, school districts that do not currently provide sex education will not be required to teach it.

In districts that do provide classes or courses on sex ed, teachers will have to teach students abstaining from sexual intercourse ”is a responsible and positive decision and is the only protection that is 100% effective against unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) when transmitted sexually.” This is a departure from current sex-ed instruction, which emphasizes that “abstinence until marriage” is the “expected norm” and gives no information on contraception. . . .