- April 25, 2024
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The School Board is considering an abstinence-plus curriculum after reviewing teen sex and sexually transmitted disease data from the Flagler County Health Department.
Recently released studies on teen sex are “staggering,” according to School Board member Colleen Conklin.
As part of Flagler County’s Healthy Choices curriculum, the School Board was presented data Monday, March 14, on middle- to high-school students’ sexual activity, sexually transmitted disease percentages and pregnancy rates. The studies were conducted from 2006 to 2008 by the Flagler County Health Department.
Director of Student Services Katrina Townsend presented the statistics to the board.
Flagler County averaged 85 births from mothers ages 15 to 19 in the two-year test sample, she said. It also averaged 13 repeat mothers of the same age in that time.
Townsend continued: In 2009, the Flagler County Health Department saw 587 teenagers for family-planning services — only three of which reported abstinence as their primary method of birth control. Of that number, 96 were either pregnant or seeking to get pregnant; 28% were younger than 18 years old; and one was younger than 15.
Bacterial sexually transmitted disease numbers were also high. Per 100,000 people, Flagler County reported a rate of 1,716 cases, whereas Volusia County showed a rate of 1,668.5 cases and Miami-Dade showed a rate of 1,480.6.
According to the study, the number of recorded HIV cases jumped from three, in 2006, to 11, in 2008. Sixteen percent of high-school students reported having sex with four or more partners. Half of all sexually active youth catch an STD by the age of 25.
In 2009, a Florida Youth Risk Behavior survey showed 50.6% of students in all Florida high schools said they had had sex — 8.3% said their first time was prior to age 13.
“The abstinence-only plan is obviously not working,” Conklin said. “This is something we need to address.”
Following Volusia County’s lead, the board is discussing the logistics of an abstinence-plus stance on sex education, which would broaden the subject’s scope in school. It could also include offering contraceptives to students on school grounds, although several members of the board remain hesitant.
A sexual activity/education survey made by an advisory council of clergy, parents, community agencies, healthcare workers and school health-advisory-council members will be delivered to middle- and high-school students before spring break to collect data for further discussions with the board.
A permission notice will be sent to parents and students this week, giving them the option not to take the questionnaire.
“We really want the community to know we’re dealing with this topic, and we want your input on it,” Conklin said.
The advisory council will be meeting with the School Board April 7 to discuss abstinence plus.
Contact Mike Cavaliere at [email protected].
