“We walk around and our government says, ‘Oh, Dr. Elders, you know condoms will break.’ That’s right, they will. But I want to assure you that the vows of abstinence break far more easily than those latex condoms,” Elders said.

Colorado passed a law this year requiring schools that have sex education to include “science-based” information about contraception.

Elders was appointed by former President Bill Clinton as  Surgeon General in 1993 but resigned in 1994 after suggesting that masturbation should be taught in schools to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

From the New York Times:

Opponents received high-caliber ammunition this spring when the most comprehensive study of abstinence education found no sign that it delayed a teenager’s sexual debut. And, after enjoying a fivefold increase in their main federal appropriations, the abstinence programs in June received their first cut in financing from the Senate appropriations committee since 2001.

But the final outcome is in question. Some $176 million in federal support has survived several early maneuvers in the House, and the full House plans to debate the issue July 18 as part of the proposed Health and Human Services budget.

Read the full article here.

Is this a radical move that will result in Colorado’s children acting like those Louisiana fifth-graders last week? Hardly. But you wouldn’t know it from reading some Republicans’ reactions in the Rocky Mountain News this morning:

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, said the measure will mean a “comprehensive condom, contraception and copulation” curriculum.

Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, cited a curriculum that includes placing condoms on cucumbers, calling such lessons “disgusting classes.”

To be clear, HB 1292 does not require schools to utilize cucumbers or any other elongated produce in sex-ed classes. Democrats supporting the bill say students in this “girls-gone-wild culture” need fact-based information about sex. Secretly scouring the bras and girdles in the Sears, Roebuck catalog like former Gov. Roy Romer used to do isn’t going to cut it these days.

HB 1292 will now go to the governor’s desk.

CFA has been making its case against HB 1300 by spreading misinformation about current law. The proposed legislation would require schools to notify parents in writing of their right to excuse their children from sex education classes. But, it’s a bit confusing because that requirement is, for the most part, already the law.

Only schools in districts that participate in the voluntary Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Program have to obtain written permission from parents before their children can be included in sex education classes. But only 18 out of 178 Colorado school districts currently participate in the program, according to the Colorado Department of Education. Yet Colorado Family Action still insists the bill “changes current system to one where parents are only notified that sex education programs will be offered and that parents may ‘opt-out.’”

The organization ignores the fact that HB 1300 would only affect the parent-notification protocol for 18 districts, thus putting them in sync with the other 160 that are currently only required to notify parents of their right to opt out.

Here’s the CFA’s “position” paper:

We oppose HB 07-1300 because it takes away parental authority when it comes to the critical matter of training in proper sexual behavior.  The underlying argument of supporters of this bill is that parents are either incapable or unwilling train their children.  Yet, what gives schools any greater moral authority to take parents out of the decision-making process of training their children in proper sexual behavior?  Parents would only be notified that courses will be taking place and that parents have the option to remove their children without penalty.  This is an impractical “solution” because sex education is an important subject which should involve parents by consent rather than casual notification.  Parental authority over their children is fundamental (excepting cases of physical and sexual abuse).  Parents are the first educators of their children and should be given the right to choose the manner of their education.

HB 1300, sponsored by Rep. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, was passed by the House Education Committee Monday and is scheduled to be debated by the full House Tuesday afternoon.

For those interested in the statutes that would be affected by this law:

CRS 22-110.5 is the law requiring schools to inform parents of their right to opt out. HB 1300 would result in only a minor change in wording to this law.

CRS 22-25-104 is part of the Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Act and requires participating school districts (currently 18 of 178) to obtain permission slips from parents. That requirement would be changed by HB 1300.