Action Alert-Sex Ed Vote!! Attack on Abstinence Showdown Moved to Wednesday!

Vote on SB 283 is postponed until Wednesday, May 20th, 10 a.m.-MORE TIME TO MAKE YOUR CALLS TO YOUR TEXAS STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE, ASK HE/SHE TO VOTE “NO” ON CASTRO & VILLAREAL AMENDMENTS (detailed below), AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DO THE SAME!! 

We have now reviewed the proposed amendments.  the Villareal Amendment is worst than we thought:

1. Strips out the following phrase from current law-”abstinence…is the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.”  (instead, they have substituted the phrase “abstinence…as only certain way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases”). (Villarreal Amendment)

2. Diminishes emotional trauma by changing current law to suggest that there may be no emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity. (Villarreal Amendment)

3. Censors any information about the risks, side effects, and limitations of contraceptive methods. (Villarreal Amendment)

4.  Eliminates the current law requirement that children be directed toward “a standard of behavior” where abstinence before marriage is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and STDs…  (Villarreal Amendment)

5. Uses the term “age appropriate”, which opens the door to sexually explicit materials and demonstrations. (Vague and unclear definition that allows groups like Planned Parenthood to define “age appropriate.”) (Castro Amendment).

6. Use the term “medically accurate” or “scientifically accurate” as false weapon against abstinence-based teaching.  Organizations that are hostile and biased against abstinence teaching have used their own interpretation of “medically accurate” to disqualify abstinence teaching, even when such teaching was approved by the United States federal government. (Castro or Villarreal Amendment).

7. Bans abstinence promotion and teaching to students who are sexually active. (with no method of identifying such students). (Villarreal Amendments).

Since Texas began promoting abstinence-based sex ed:

• The rate of teen pregnancies has dropped 24%
• The rate of teen abortions has dropped 41%
• The rate of teen births has dropped 22%

There were NO similar gains in the 1980’s, when Planned Parenthood type programs were the rule.