Advocates in Arkansas Push for Policies to Enhance Sex Education and Reduce Teen Pregnancy

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families called for an enhanced sexual health education system in Arkansas to combat the state’s disproportionately high rates of teenage pregnancy and births, as detailed in a report released on Wednesday.

The report, which included input from various children’s health advocates, puts forth a series of policy recommendations aimed at transitioning Arkansas towards a more age-appropriate and evidence-based sexual health education approach.

In light of alarming statistics that revealed 28 out of every 1,000 Arkansas teenagers gave birth, nearly double the national average of 15 per 1,000 teenagers, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families initiated the coalition in 2022. According to AACF, only 22% of teenage pregnancies in the state were intentional.

An insight from a recent report by AACF highlighted the comparable rates of teenage sexual activity across different states, emphasizing the pivotal role of access to contraceptives and comprehensive sexual health education. The lack of mandated sexual health education in Arkansas further compounds the issue.

Arkansas state law mandates the inclusion of sexual abstinence education in school curricula, prohibiting the use of funds for abortion referrals. Schools have the flexibility to adopt an “abstinence-plus” approach, supplementing abstinence education with medically accurate and evidence-based practices.

A research survey conducted by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in 2017 uncovered that nearly 85% of Arkansas’s public school districts incorporated some form of abstinence education, with a notable proportion implementing virginity pledges. However, a significant number of districts opted out of providing sex education altogether.

Olivia Gardner, the education policy director at AACF, expressed the need for updated data on school-based sex education programs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the community’s desire for educational reforms within the schooling system.

The coalition’s recommendations span various areas, including enhancing school-based sex education with medically accurate information, involving parents and medical professionals in sexual health education, expanding sexual violence prevention initiatives, supporting existing out-of-school sexual health programs, and incorporating menstrual education in sex education while enhancing accessibility to feminine hygiene products.

The advocacy report proposes an eight-year implementation plan for the outlined recommendations, with an initial focus on incremental progress. Collaborative efforts among coalition members are deemed essential for the effective execution of the proposed strategies.

Acknowledging the far-reaching impact of sexual health on individuals’ lives, Katie Clark, a coalition member and founder of the Arkansas Period Poverty Project, stressed the importance of multi-faceted approaches to address sexual health issues.

Teenage parents face various challenges, including lower educational attainment and limited economic prospects, compounding Arkansas’s existing poverty rates. Further, babies born to teenage mothers are at higher risk of health complications, with a significant percentage born underweight.

Arkansas grapples with alarming maternal and infant mortality rates, underscoring the urgent need for bolstering maternal and infant healthcare infrastructure. Elected officials, including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have expressed support for such initiatives, emphasizing the bipartisan commitment to enhancing maternal and infant well-being in the state.

Although medically accurate sex education is recognized as a key component in addressing these public health challenges, legislative support for comprehensive sex education in Arkansas has been limited. Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding’s efforts to introduce inclusive and medically accurate sex education bills in the state legislature faced resistance, particularly concerning teaching safe sexual practices.

Amidst societal unease and challenges surrounding sex education discussions, advocates stress the importance of providing age-appropriate and empowering education to prevent risky behaviors among teenagers. Natalie Tibbs, the executive director of the Children & Family Advocacy Center in Northwest Arkansas, emphasized the significance of teacher training in identifying and addressing signs of child maltreatment.

Leding’s legislative initiatives, along with AACF’s advocacy report, emphasize the significance of educating youth about healthy relationships, consent, and abuse prevention. These initiatives aim to enhance awareness and reduce the incidence of child abuse and teenage pregnancy in Arkansas.

Rep. Aaron Pilkington plans to introduce legislation in the coming year similar to a 2021 bill exempting feminine hygiene products from state sales tax, addressing critical healthcare affordability issues faced by menstruating individuals in Arkansas. Despite ongoing efforts to eliminate the tax on period products, Arkansas remains among the states taxing such essential items.

The lack of accessible period products in schools poses significant challenges for menstruating students, leading to potential health concerns and academic disruptions. Highlighting the importance of menstrual education within sexual health curricula, advocates emphasize the need to empower individuals with essential knowledge about menstruation.

Proposed measures to eliminate the tax on feminine hygiene products and diapers failed to secure adequate support for the 2024 ballot; however, advocacy efforts continue to address this critical issue for menstruating individuals in Arkansas. Legislative stakeholders, including Democrats like Greg Leding, remain committed to advancing comprehensive sex education policies in upcoming legislative sessions to address the state’s pressing health and education challenges.