FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
June 24, 2004
Contact: Brad Snavely
(517) 374-1171, ext. 104
MFF Policy and Research Director Dan Jarvis (far left) and Executive
Director Brad Snavely (far right)
join Rep. John Stahl (left) and Sen. Wayne Kuipers (right)
as Governor Jennifer Granholm signs SB 943-944 into Michigan law.
Michigan Family Forum Applauds Governor
for Signing Abstinence Bills
Legislation Provides Common Sense
Guidelines for Sex Educators
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Family Forum, a Lansing-based
family policy organization, today praised Michigan Governor Jennifer
Granholm for signing Senate Bill 943 and House Bill 5478. The legislation
received strong bipartisan support from both chambers.
Senate Bill 943 will establish guidelines for schools
to follow when teaching sex education and give parents a greater
voice in the sex education curricula taught in their children’s
schools. House Bill 5478 will establish a reporting and investigating
mechanism for schools that violate state sex education laws.
"These bills makes sense for all parties involved,"
said Executive Director Brad Snavely. "Surveys consistently
show that parents want schools to include a strong abstinence message
in sex education curricula. Research also shows that the only sure
way to prevent pregnancy and the spread of deadly STDs is through
abstinence."
Some specific provisions of the legislation include:
- Promotion of greater parental involvement in developing sex
education programs by requiring at least one-half of the members
on a health advisory committee to be parents with children attending
district schools. It also requires the advisory committee to be
co-chaired by a parent.
- Increased accountability for establishing and achieving outcomes
by making performance reports available to parents.
- Teaching that adoption can be a healthy choice for teenage
mothers and their babies and provide students with adoption information.
- Information on the emotional and psychological consequences
associated with premarital sexual activity.
- Teaching that students have the power to control personal behavior
and to base their actions on reasoning, self-discipline, a sense
of responsibility, self-control, and ethical considerations such
as respect for self and others.
"Our children deserve to know the truth so they
can make healthy choices regarding early sexual involvement,"
said Snavely. "Parents also deserve to have a voice in the
development and oversight of these programs, and schools should
be accountable to parents for what they teach."
Michigan Family Forum is a public policy organization
dedicated to strengthening Michigan’s families. They can be
reached at (517) 374-1171 or via the web, www.michiganfamily.org.
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