Dear Friend,

We need your help. Bureaucrats in the N.C. Department of Public Instruction are attempting to change N.C. law which requires the teaching of abstinence-based sex education. The law specifically requires that “abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage be taught as an expected standard of behavior for all school-aged children.”

The NC Board of Education is in the process of revising the standards for health education.  Standards are the educational goals required to be achieved in each course. 

Draft 1 of those standards does not follow NC’s law requiring that sexual abstinence outside of marriage be taught as an expected standard of behavior.  In fact, it doesn’t mention marriage at all!  Rather, the standards reflect the teaching of comprehensive sex education.  As you may know, most comprehensive sex education is either written or endorsed by Planned Parenthood. 

This is where you come in. We need a couple hundred of you who have the time and are able to help us with a big ask below.

Without your comments, we may not prevail in changing the standards to reflect NC law. The Comment period lasts until Sunday evening (September 17).  We are calling on all concerned parents to let their voices be heard to ensure that the Standards reflect N.C. law and require the teaching of abstinence-based sex education.

👉 The survey can be found by clicking here.

Here are some directions on how you can submit a comment in favor of parental rights:

1. Fill out your name and location.

2. Begin with 6th Grade

3. You want to keep all sections the same until you see 6.ICHR.1 where you will click on “Modify or Expand”

At the appropriate sections, amend them as followings:

• 6.1ICHR.2.2 
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENTS SECTION: 
    • “Describe how character strengths practiced in friendships, such as honesty and respect, contribute to healthy dating relationships and healthy marriages in the future.”
    • “Identify the benefits of a healthy marriage for both the couple and their children.”
    • “Explain how attributes of a healthy marriage can be learned and applied regardless of family experience.”
    • “Define a healthy marriage as the mutually-committed, monogamous union of a heterosexual couple intended to be lifelong, that is granted rights and responsibilities by law.”
• 6.ICHR 3.1
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE:  “Analyze the outcomes of a health-related decision regarding sexual activity.”
    • REPLACE: “Summarize research on the physical and emotion benefits of avoiding non-marital sexual activity.”
• 7.ICHR.2.2 - 
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:  
    • “Explain why making healthy choices before marriage, including avoiding sexual activity, can strengthen fidelity in marriage.”
    • “Discuss refusal skills and behaviors that are required for avoiding non-marital sexual activity, such as mutual respect, communication and assertiveness skills, impulse control and the ability to maintain boundaries.”
    • “Explain how teen sexual activity can lead to significant mental and emotional health consequences.”
• 7.ICHR.3.1 -
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE: "effects if untreated and methods of prevention."
    • ADD: Recognize common STIs (including HIV and HPV), modes of transmission, symptoms, "potential short- and long-term health consequences, testing and treatment,"
• 7.ICHR.3.2 -
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE: Summarize the safe and effective use of FDA-approved methods of preventing sexually transmitted infections.
    • REPLACE WITH: “Describe different methods of contraception comparing their effectiveness, typical use failure rate, limitations, and potential side effects for reducing the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.”
    • ADD: “Explain that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain means of avoiding out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases when transmitted through sexual contact, including HIV/AIDS and other associated health and emotional problems.”
• 8.ICHR.2.2 -
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE:  "delaying sexual activity" 
    • REPLACE WITH: "avoiding non-marital sexual activity.”
• 8.ICHR.3.2 - 
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE: "safety and their," and "in preventing"
    • REWRITE AS: Evaluate methods of FDA-approved contraceptives in terms of their effectiveness, "typical use failure rate, limitations, and potential side effects of reducing the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections."
• 8.ICHR.3.3 -
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE AND ADD:  "delayed sexual activity and safer sex practices."
    • REPLACE WITH: "avoiding non-marital sexual activity."
• 8.ICHR 3.4 - 
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • “Explain that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the best lifelong means of avoiding sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.”
    • “Describe reasons, skills, and strategies for remaining or becoming abstinent from non marital sexual activity.”
    • “State that a healthy marriage is supportive of a person’s physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and financial health and well-being, and therefore, is the optimal context for sex.”
• 9.ICHR.1.5 -
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE:  “Identify the concept of consent, in relation to personal boundaries.”
    • REPLACE WITH: “Discuss refusal skills and behaviors that are required for avoiding non-marital sexual activity, such as mutual respect, communication and assertiveness skills, impulse control and the ability to maintain boundaries."
• 9.1CHR.2.1-
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE: "not only" and "but also safer sex options (condom use, birth control methods, and obtaining consent to engage in sexual activity, etc.)"
    • REWRITE AS: "Evaluate skills and strategies to promote delaying participation in non-marital sexual activity (abstinence)."
• 9.1CHR.2.2-
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • REMOVE: "for optimal sexual health"
    • REWRITE AS: “Explain the importance for sexually activity individuals to (1) undergo regular STI screenings; (2) to understand the diagnostic and treatment limitations, (3) to communicate with their partners regarding their status and (4) to avoid future non-marital sexual activity.”
• 9.ICHR.3.1-
  • ADD THE FOLLOWING IN THE COMMENT SECTION:
    • “Describe different methods of contraception comparing their effectiveness, limitations, typical user failure rates and potential side effects.”

That sure is a lot, but it may go a long way in making an impact about what our kids are taught in schools. 

Finally, if you support the work we're doing making a pro-values impact across public institutions, would you consider making a needed one-time or monthly donation towards our work in North Carolina?

Sincerely,

Tami Fitzgerald,
NC Values