Fact Sheet

Background: North Carolina has the 9^th highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation costing tax payers hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Consequently, the dreams, aspirations and health of countless young people and their families have been affected by STD’s, HIV and teen pregnancy. In 2009, a broad coalition of health professionals, educators, parents and supportive organizations came together to encourage lawmakers to pass the Healthy Youth Act (HYA). The HYA is based on solid evidence and best practices that have a proven track record of reducing STDs and teen pregnancy.

What does HYA do?  The HYA requires that all 7^th-9^th grade students in North Carolina public schools receive, both abstinence-until-marriage and comprehensive sexuality education. Combined with the larger school health statute, it also directs schools to create a mechanism by which parents may remove their child from either or both parts of the program.   

What must schools do to be in compliance? HYA goes into effect for the 2010-2011 school year. Most school districts will need to have these changes in place by June of 2010. All schools that educate 7^th-9^th grade students must have a policy in place that implements this new law and provide a “reproductive health and safety education program.”

• Schools must pick a curriculum or multiple curricula that teach both “abstinence only until marriage” and comprehensive sex-education.
• HYA now requires a higher standard for abstinence only curriculum. “Materials used in this instruction shall be age appropriate for use with students. Information conveyed during the instruction shall be objective and based upon scientific research that is peer reviewed and accepted by professionals and credentialed experts in the field of sexual health education."
• The comprehensive curriculum must do the following:

• Teach about sexually transmitted diseases. Instruction shall include how sexually transmitted diseases are and are not transmitted, the effectiveness and safety of all federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved methods of reducing the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, and information on local resources for testing and medical care for sexually transmitted diseases. Instruction shall include the rates of infection among pre-teen and teens of each known sexually transmitted disease and the effects of contracting each sexually transmitted disease. In particular, the instruction shall include information about the effects of contracting the Human Papilloma Virus, including sterility and cervical cancer.
• Teach about the effectiveness and safety of all FDA-approved contraceptive methods in preventing pregnancy.
• Teach awareness of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and risk reduction. The instruction and materials shall:
  • Focus on healthy relationships.
  • Teach students what constitutes sexual assault and sexual abuse, the causes of those behaviors, and risk reduction.
  • Inform students about resources and reporting procedures if they experience sexual assault or sexual abuse.
  • Examine common misconceptions and stereotypes about sexual assault and sexual abuse.
  • Materials used in this instruction shall be age appropriate for use with students. Information conveyed during the instruction shall be objective and based upon scientific research that is peer reviewed and accepted by professionals and credentialed experts in the field of sexual health education. 
  • Each local board of education shall adopt a policy and provide a mechanism to allow a parent or a guardian to withdraw his or her child from instruction required under this subdivision.

Public Support: In a 2003 parent opinion survey conducted by the NC Departments of Instruction and Health and Human Services, 91% of parents of middle or high school students said they support sex education that includes information about STDs and HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention, abstinence, and contraceptive use in school.  An overwhelming majority of respondents, 96%, thought parents ought to decide how sex ed is taught in school.[1] This survey was replicated in 2009 with nearly 92% of parents supporting comprehensive sex education.

Benefits of the HYA: HYA is based on the notion that values should be taught in the home and facts are to be taught in school. The new standards for abstinence only education and comprehensive sex education are based on “best practices” and robust evidence that the best way to delay sex and reduce teen pregnancy and STD’s is through comprehensive sex education that will help young people avoid risky behavior and prepare them to make good health decisions throughout their lifetime.  Conversely, programs that focus only on abstinence have no such evidence of being effective and in some cases can be harmful. 

PASSAGE OF THE HYA LEGISLATION WAS SUPPORTED BY: Action for Children; Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina; Alianza Latina Pro-educación en Salud; American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina; Covenant with North Carolina’s Children; Durham Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention; Equality NC; Guilford County Board of Health; March of Dimes; NARAL Pro-Choice NC; National Association of Social Workers – North Carolina Chapter; North Carolina Association of Educators; North Carolina Folic Acid Council; North Carolina National Organization for Women; North Carolina Nurses Association; North Carolina Pediatric Society; North Carolina School Community Health Alliance; North Carolina School Social Workers Association; Old North State Medical Society; Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina; Planned Parenthood Health Systems; Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina; Project Safe – NCCU; Wake Teen Medical Services and Parents and Teens across North Carolina.

Last updated August 13, 2009.