A bill being considered in the Legislature would give parents the choice of having their children receive comprehensive sex education or abstinence only sex education. Would you support this proposal?
Yes 69
No 31
There is broad support among North Carolina voters for the basic premise of the Healthy Youth Act, which would let parents choose whether their children receive comprehensive or abstinence only sex education.
Even among voter groups traditionally most opposed to any increase in sex education there is majority support, including conservatives (58%), Republicans (54%), senior citizens (63%) and rural voters (69%).
Groups whose support exceeds 80% include liberals (88%), urban dwellers (86%), and African Americans (83%).
It's particularly interesting to note that the group of voters that is most likely to have recently gone through the public schools in North Carolina, those under 30, give the bill one of its highest levels of support at 76%.
Any time you combine politics, sex, and education you're likely to get a lot of emotional and overheated rhetoric and that's certainly bound to happen again as this bill makes it way through the legislature. But the reality is that when you cut all of that out and tell voters in a straight forward manner the crux of what the bill would do, every demographic subgroup of the electorate we track gives it majority support.
Full results here.
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9 comments:
This is exactly what has been seen around the country. Support for comprehensive sex-ed is widespread. Also, the Healthy Youth Act is very popular in the legislature.
When 1 in 4 teenage girls have an STD and every 26 seconds a teenager becomes pregnant in NC, it is long past time for this common sense legislation.
I meant every 26 minutes a teenager becomes pregnant in NC.
Tom, as you well know, although your commenters may not, what this poll shows clear proof of is the overwhelming preference for parental choice in this matter and not solely support for comprehensive sex-ed programs.
As part of the "under 30" crowd, I have seen the negative repercussions of limited information on my peers' sexual and reproductive health. I whole heartedly support this act!
My southern Baptist mother from Harnett County supports comprehensive sex education. It's common sense legislation. I'm glad to see a poll validate what so many of us know: comprehensive sex ed that allows parents to choose for their children is bi-partisan and supported across the board.
Yes, Brent, but the key is that this bill gives a choice - the current system does not.
My son in an Orange County school just received "abstinence until marriage only"-an approach proven to fail young people. Kids in Chapel Hill/Carroboro get comprehensive sex ed. A huge and unfair disparity. I support the Healthy Youth Act as a parent who wants real information made available to all kids.
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