A review of state policies shows that states do not provide local school districts with detailed instruction on sexuality education, and what minimal guidance they do provide leans heavily toward abstinence, according to "State-Level Policies on Sexuality, STD Education." The review, by Rachel Benson Gold, deputy director for policy analysis, and Elizabeth Nash, public policy associate with The Alan Guttmacher Institute, appears in the August 2001 issue of The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy.

While the recent surgeon general's report calls for education that balances the importance of abstinence with assuring "awareness of optimal protection from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancy, for those who are sexually active," the federal and state governments increasingly emphasize abstinence education, a policy focus that is reflected in classroom education. Although nine in 10 teachers believe that students should be taught about contraception, one in four say they are instructed not to teach the subject.

"Looking at the evolution of federal, state and local policy, it is clear that abstinence promotion has truly taken hold as a matter of education policy in the United States," author Rachel Gold notes. "While this focus on abstinence-in policy and practice-may be the political fashion of the day, recent studies have found that it is far out of step with what parents and teachers believe should be taught and, according to the U.S. surgeon general, is not in line with the weight of the best scientific evidence now available."

Sixteen states give local school districts total discretion over whether to even teach the topics of abstinence and contraception and how to treat these topics if taught. The remaining 34 states require that abstinence be covered, and 25 of them require that it be stressed. Only 19 states require that contraception be covered, and none require that it be stressed. Utah has the most stringent state policy, requiring districts to stress abstinence while prohibiting "the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices." The law further prohibits teachers from responding to questions raised spontaneously by students in ways that conflict with the law's requirements to promote abstinence and not encourage the use of contraception.