Poll Finds Support for Broad Sex Education Curricula
An overwhelming majority of California parents support sex education curricula that include information on contraception and ways to avoid sexually transmitted infections, in addition to abstinence, a new poll finds, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Such a sex education policy was backed by 89% of respondents, regardless of their political or religious affiliation, location or level of education. Eighty-six percent of evangelical Christians said they support comprehensive sex education, and 71% of people who described themselves as "very conservative" said they supported a broad sex education curriculum, according to the poll.
The Public Health Institute conducted the poll with funding from the California Wellness Foundation. The poll is scheduled for release on Friday and will be published in the September issue of Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
The findings are based on a telephone survey of 1,284 parents statewide in spring and summer 2006. The interviews were conducted in English and Spanish (Mangaliman, San Jose Mercury News, 5/25).