Bill would change Wisconsin sex education

Under current Wisconsin law, sex ed classes are abstinence based.

But some leaders are looking to expand on that.

The Healthy Youth Act was recently introduced in the state assembly and would apply to kids in public schools.

It's essentially designed to give students a more thorough understanding of what to expect as they grow up.

Rep. Louis Molepske of Stevens Point says, "As the current law is right now, it's based on abstinence education which I support, but it really doesn't have the complete picture as it relates to development issues."

That's why a group of state representatives developed the Healthy Youth Act. It would encourage schools to expand their health curriculum to include additional information, including the use of contraceptives.

Rep. Molepske says, "There is a crisis as it relates to teen births and STD rates. We do not want these things to continue, especially among teenagers who have little understanding of the long term consequences."

But many pro-life advocates oppose the concept of the bill.

Jean Menzner says, "It's child abuse that we're even allowing our children to enter into that world at such a young age."

However Rep. Molepske says that's not the goal. They just want kids to have a more comprehensive understanding of themselves and their relationships in the event that they don't get the information at home. Abstinence will be promoted above all else, but lawmakers realize that alone isn't realistic.

Rep. Molepske, "Contraceptives are part of sexuality and are part of the sexual world."

Still, some just aren't buying it.

Menzner says, "I think that promoting birth control in the schools is promoting sexual activity."

School district leaders in our area say this bill actually wouldn't have too much of an impact on them because they already teach students about more than just abstinence.

And lawmakers want parents to know, if the bill passes they can choose to pull their kids out of health class if they want.