Healthy Youth Act - Medical accuracy

Is comprehensive sex ed "medically accurate"? Not as far as I have found. The biggest inaccuracy is statements that pregnancy can occur with every act of sexual intercourse. It cannot. But when I have questioned that, the responder usually ends up inferring its a little white lie so kids think the odds are against them. I have learned to quip back---and more likely to get on birth control. Nice sales technique!

Comprehensive sex education also fails to include important information on neurochemicals such as oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine and endomorphines which are activated with sex. Oxytocin/vasopressin are the "sexual glues" meant to bond sexual partners. It is why humans are meant to remain together to parent their offspring. The neurochemicals are powerful forces at play during and after sex that cause emotional reactions if bonding is broken. Failing to recognize brain functions is ignoring that the sexual act naturally triggers commitment. Seems like a pretty significant piece of information kids might need to know to help them decide to delay sex. It is especially important if they hope to marry someday so they don't harm that bonding potential through promiscuous sex. That would seem to be important for a bill that claims its neccessary to teach 10 year olds how to manage their sexual health for a lifetime.

"Medical accuracy" is sex ed code for 'must include contraception in a positive way only'. If pregnancy prevention relies on contraception then it must be presented as the salvation for all. But it would seem to be medically sound to explain the risks, side effects and applicability of any method of birth control to any female after her gynecological exam, medical history and frank discussion of her ability to manage the regimen are considered. That is done in a doctor-patient consultation, not in generalities in a classroom. There are many factors to consider besides the effectiveness rates for each method.

Young teens are being put on the pill without a gynecological exam, without STI testing, without a medical history offered by a parent according to Planned Parenthood at a Milwaukee seminar. The emphasis is placed on pregnancy prevention so the medical side of the process is deferred...if the girl returns. I asked just last month at the Milwaukee Teen Pregnancy Prevention meeting if girls are advised to "choose" any particular birth control method. I asked because some methods are more teen "friendly", less risky, but more expensive. The Planned Parenthood rep did not know, but promised to let me know. I'm still waiting!

With the incredible rate of change and studies in contraceptive methods, I don't think any layperson should be covering prescription medicines or procedures. Doctors at least have the experience within their own practice of the success and failures of given methods and outcomes for various users. A classroom teacher offers outdated information the curriculum publisher filters, none of which includes data on complications unless it is a laundry list of possible side effects this bill demands.

All in medicine is not black and white. The medical associations mentioned in this bill differ from others representing the same specialties. The weight of evidence in one medical journal may result from refusal to print any research that is contrary to what it does print. Quality research is being done around the world, presented at esteemed conferences and printed in highly regarded journals. The three qualifiers in this bill defining medical accuracy are overly restrictive. Drop the last one thus making foreign research admissable.

Wisconsin Healthy Youth Act

On the fast track, this bill, appeared for cosponsor solicitation just last week, is moving with light speed in the Assembly process, and will probably be on the Senate Education Committee agenda by Monday. Obviously, proponents think their ducks are in line. Looks like Lon Newman got his two reps on the Assembly Education Committee to co-sponsor, as did Planned Parenthood with members from Milwaukee and Madison; but only half the Democrats on the committee cosigned.
This bill doesn't have state support but it could be enacted before anyone knows what happened.

So what is the Healthy Youth Act? It is boiler-plate legislation being spread throughout the country with the only variation being the repeal of existing Wisconsin laws and statutes. It is supported by Planned Parenthood, Advocates for Youth, SIECUS, NARAL, ACLU and probably, the three "professional medical associations" mentioned in the bill. It is same old, same old promotion of comprehensive sex education, the chosen term for contraception-based programs.

It uses falsehoods such as referring to contraceptives and barrier methods as "prevention" rather than risk reduction. It defines "age appropriate" in part as "behavior typical to that age group". Gets away with that one by by requiring that the educational methods or materials cannot "promote bias against ....sexually active pupils" So, in other words, despite all the statistics showing the continual increase in STI, teen HIV, and teen pregnancy, the sexual behavior producing those results is protected, and above criticism. As it becomes "typical" of minor children that also means it is age appropriate. This bill legitimizes what supporters have been slyly promoting for decades--sexual activity is natural and approriate for anyone at any time with anyone.

Our state laws cannot support this not can the state continue to ignore its Age of Consent Laws meant to protect children from predators, users and abusers but also from their own sexual naivete that is leading to severe lifelong consequences.

This bill also removes all local school district control as it relates to Human Growth and Development. Choice of program and state contracted program providers rests with the State Superintendent of Education who is also required to apply for the not yet approved federal pregnancy prevention funding. The school district is left with the right of refusal but no way to pay for an alternative since the bill doiesn't also require applying for a variety of funding options that might cover the school district's choice. Parents also lose their imput as curriculum review committees are kaput. The current adversarial but allowable discussion of any sex education curriculum will end. The state option is the only option as soon as this bill passes.

Also troubling is the mention of "an evidence-based program". ANY program that has passed anyone's evidence-based standard is not necessarily going to be effective in Milwaukee and Montello and Manistee because it wasn't written to meet those childrens needs in the environment in which they live. If we want to have healthy children we should at least consider the health of their community, families, schools, etc.