Sex Education in Louisiana
Laws about sex education in Louisiana are archaic and do not reflect medically accurate information about reproductive health. Students are systematically misled and kept ignorant about their sexual health and reproductive processes.
Louisiana Law RS 17:281 states:
"any public elementary or secondary school in Louisiana may, but is not required to, offer instruction in subject matter designated as ‘sex education,'"
which results in the absence of sex education classes at many public schools. This law also bans distributing or teaching about contraceptives, using educational materials portraying same-sex activity, mentioning abortion other than in a negative context, and does not require STI or HIV education in public school sex education classes.
Louisiana also prohibits the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from asking public school students about their sexual behaviors on the student risk (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance) survey. This leaves students and their advocates without imperative data on the sexual behaviors of Louisiana youth and potential federal funding to address the state’s sexual health crisis.
Louisiana Rankings
p
1
in the nation for
adolescent chlamydia diagnoses
p
3
in the nation for teenage births
p
5
in the nation for gonorrhea diagnoses