Louisiana Parents Support Sex Education for their Children: Results of a Statewide Survey

Abstract

This paper presents results from a survey of parents of school age children in Louisiana to understand their knowledge of and attitudes toward sex education. Louisiana adolescents rank amongst the highest in the nation for teen births and sexually transmitted infections. Louisiana does not require instruction in sex education at any grade level. Survey results provide clear evidence that the majority of Louisiana parents support sex education in school curricula that emphasizes abstinence but also provides broad information on sexual health. With continued efforts to engage local communities statewide, these data stand to redirect state and local level policy making.

Keywords:

• Comprehensive sexuality education
• parent survey
• sexuality education policy

Ethical approval

This study was submitted to Sterling IRB https://www.sterlingirb.com/ and approved on 1/30/2017. IRB ID 4967-001, protocol 01-2015.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.