DAVIS COUNTY — Parents have their chance now to voice their opinion about opening up the state’s sex education curriculum. The possible change would include providing students with information on birth control and contraceptives to address what is being called a “health issue.”

The Legislative Health and Human Services Interim Committee heard testimony last week on revising Utah’s law on sex education curriculum to include the ability to discuss birth control and contraceptive options without fear of reprimand.

Planned Parenthood organized the proposed changes, and Rep. Lynn Hemingway, D-Salt Lake City, has said he will sponsor the bill, which has not yet been drafted. The bill is planned to take after a recently revised North Carolina statute.

All across the state, parents are being encouraged to voice their opinions on the issue.

“What I really want to try to do is steer this away from being a moral issue. This isn’t a moral issue. This is a health issue,” said Hemingway.

The Davis School District currently has a policy in place to send home a parental permission form for students to receive sex education in the schools. The bill itself would not change much of the curriculum used by the district, but would add an understanding of contraceptives.

“The way this is set up is to allow parents to have input on what is going to be discussed and not discussed,” said Steve Lindsay, Davis School District healthy lifestyles supervisor.

The issue coming from Planned Parenthood and other concerned parties is that the number of sexually transmitted infections and diseases in teens has gone up dramatically in the past five to seven years, as has the number of teen pregnancies.

In Davis County alone, a rate of 696 17-year-old teens per 100,00 have contracted chlamydia and gonorrhea from 2004-08. According to the Davis County Health Department, those rates are continuing to climb.

“The data we collect on sexually transmitted diseases is what it is,” said Lewis R. Garrett, director of Health for the Davis County Health Department. “The debate is now on what to do with that data.”

Within the district, anyone who teaches a health or science course dealing with sexuality goes through special training once every three years. There is also constant information and updates with what can and can’t be taught. Teachers are tested on situations which may arise from students asking questions.

“Currently, the law says that you can respond to students’ questions, but you have to be very careful,” said Lindsay.

If a bill is drafted and changes are to come, the district will have curriculum reviewed by a committee of administrators, curriculum supervisors, representatives from the health department and teachers.

“We don’t have solid evidence that says one curriculum works better over the other,” said Garrett. “But, we’ve been teaching abstinence for many years, and that is not entirely working.”

Hemingway plans to take up the contraceptive bill in the next legislative session. Parents are encouraged to contact their representatives to talk about the issue.

“The parents definitely need to be in this mix,” said Garrett.

sroberts@davisclipper.com