The purpose of this research project was to determine what people in Mississippi think about the current state of sex education in public schools. Primarily, I focused on how knowledge levels and religion influence those opinions and what that means for any future conversations about sex education, i.e., the review of House Bill 999 in 2016.
What I learned from my research was that opinion is divided. The interview section of my thesis showed that parents have different reasons for opposing beliefs, but what many of them agreed upon is that there is not enough knowledge available for parents, for them to make an informed opinion. From the educators I interviewed, it was evident that they believe further reform needs to happen in order for the law to be effective. The key factors that they thought needed to be revised were the separation of genders and the opportunity to show condom demonstrations in class.
While the second factor may be controversial to some in Mississippi, the survey section of this thesis showed that a majority of respondents favored having condom demonstrations in classrooms. The survey also showed that many of the respondents were uninformed about the sex education methods available in Mississippi, and some respondents did not know there was a law that mandated it. This confirms what the interviewees
claimed— there is not enough information about sex education for the public to be informed about the issue.
42
The key take away from this thesis is that knowledge levels about the issue are low—
lower than need be for parents and educators to be able to lobby for reform in 2016. In order for the state of Mississippi to receive the education that the citizens desire, more information needs to be out there. Furthermore, if religion comes in to play when looking at what is best for the state, the survey can be looked to, to see that even the most religious respondents still desire more from the current sex education law.
Bibliography
"County-by-County Statistics - Mississippi First." Mississippi First. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr.
2014.
County Priority Status for CHART Advocacy. (2014, April). Retrieved November 3, 2014.
Dill, K. (2014, October 13). The Richest And Poorest States In 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathryndill/2014/10/13/the-richest-and-poorest-states-in- 2014/
Downey, Maureen. "UGA Study: Higher Pregnancy and Birth Rates in States with
Abstinence-only Sex Ed Programs in Schools." Get Schooled RSS. N.p., 30 Nov. 2011. Web.
30 Apr. 2014.
Evidence-Based Curricula - Mississippi First. (n.d.). Retrieved February 3, 2015, from http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/sex education/evidence-based-curricula/
Haupt, Angela. "Which State Has the Highest Teen Birth Rate?" US News. U.S.News &
World Report, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
House Bill No. 999 (as sent to Governor), MS-HR, Regular Session 2011
Kearney, M., & Levine, P. (2012). Why is the Teen Birth Rate in the United States So High and Why Does It Matter? Journal of Economic Perspectives, 141-166.
Newport, F. (2014, February 3). Mississippi Most Religious State, Vermont Least Religious.
Retrieved March 21, 2015, from http://www.gallup.com/poll/167267/mississippi-religious- vermont-least-religious-state.aspx
"Mississippi Sex Ed Bill Takes a Shot at Improving State Policy, Supporting Adolescent Health." SIECUS. N.p., n.d. Web. Jan. 2011.
<http://www.siecus.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Feature.showFeature&featureid=1992&pagei d=483&parentid=478>.
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Mississippi | The National Campaign. (2014). Retrieved January 13, 2015, from http://thenationalcampaign.org/data/state/mississippi
Semuels, A. (2014, April 2). Sex education stumbles in Mississippi. Retrieved December 13, 2014, from http://articles.latimes.com/2014/apr/02/nation/la-na-ms-teen-pregnancy- 20140403
Stanger-Hall, K., Hall, D., & Vitzthum, V. (2011). Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S. PLoS
ONE, 6(10), 1-1.
Strayhorn, J., & Strayhorn, J. (2009). Religiosity And Teen Birth Rate In The United States.
Reproductive Health, 6(14). Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://www.reproductive- health-journal.com/content/6/1/14
The Associated Press. "More than Half of Mississippi School Districts Choose Abstinence- only Sex Education Curriculum." The Mississippi Press. 29 July. 2012., n.d. Web. 30 Apr.
2014. <http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press- news/2012/07/more_than_half_of_mississippi.html>.
The Office of Adolescent Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).
Retrieved January 13, 2015, from http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health- topics/reproductive-health/teen-pregnancy/trends.html
Appendices
Appendix A: Mississippi school districts, county birthrates, and sex education method
Table A.1: Counties, Birthrates, School Districts and Method of Sex-Ed
County Rate School District Method County Rate School District Method
Issaquena 113.6 Neshoba 71
South Delta Ab-O Neshoba County Ab-O
Tunica 107.6 Philadelphia Public Ab-O
Tunica County Ab+ Union Public Ab-O
Yazoo 87.4 Panola 69.8
Yazoo County Ab-O North Panola Ab+
Yazoo City Ab+ South Panola = Split Ab+
Quitman 85.5 Alcorn 69.6
Quitman County Ab+ Alcorn County Ab-O
Sharkey 84.7 Corinth Ab-O
South Delta Scott 69.3
George 81.9 Scott County Ab-O
George County Ab-O Forest Municipal Ab+
Coahoma 81.3 Jasper 68.9
Clarksdale
Municipal Ab+
East Jasper
Consolidated Ab+
Coahoma County Ab+
West Jasper
Consolidated Ab+
Coahoma County
AHS Ab+ Smith 68.5
Wayne 78.8 Smith County Ab+
Wayne County Ab-O Pike 67
Humphreys 77.8 North Pike Ab-O
Humphreys County Ab+ South Pike Ab-O
Amite 76.3 McComb Ab+
Amite County Ab+ Yalobusha 65.6 Simpson 75.8
Coffeeville School
District Ab+
Simpson County Ab+ Water Valley Ab+
Wilkinson 75.5 Leflore 64.9
Wilkinson Ab-O Greenwood Public Ab+
Chickasaw 75.1 Leflore County Ab+
Okolona Separate Ab-O Copiah 64.3
Chickasaw County Ab+ Copiah County Ab-O
Houston Separate Ab+ Hazlehurst City Ab-O
Washington 74.4 Sunflower 64.1
Hollandale Ab-O Indianola Ab+
Leland Ab+ Sunflower County Ab+
Western Line Ab+ Holmes 64
Greenville Public Ab+ Durant Ab+
Bolivar 72.8 Holmes County Ab+
Benoit Ab-O Pontotoc 63.5
Cleveland Ab+ Pontotoc City Ab-O
Mound Bayou
Public Ab+ Pontotoc County Ab-O
North Bolivar Ab+ Warren 62.2
Shaw Ab+ Vicksburg-Warren Ab+
West Bolivar Ab+
AB-O: Abstinence-only sex-education AB+: Abstinence-plus sex-education
AB+CHART: CHART approved abstinence-plus curriculum
46
Table A.1 Continued: Counties, Birthrates, School Districts and Method of Sex-Ed
County Rate School District Method County Rate School District Method
Perry 62 Marshall 54.8
Perry County Ab-O Marshall County Ab-O
Richton Ab+ Holly Springs Ab+
Jefferson 61.8 Tishomingo 53.4
Jefferson County Ab-O Tishomingo County Ab-O
Calhoun 61.6 Clay 53.2
Calhoun County Ab+ Clay County Ab-O
Newton 60.6 West Point Ab-O
Newton County Ab-O Adams 52.8
Newton Municipal Ab+ Adams Ab-O
Covington 60.4 Lawrence 52.8
Covington County Ab+ Lawrence County Ab-O
Lee 60.1 Harrison 52.7
Lee County Ab-O Gulfport Ab-O
Nettleton Ab-O Long Beach Ab-O
Tupelo Ab-O
Pass Christian
Public Ab-O
Tallahatchie 60 Biloxi Public Ab+
East Tallahatchie Ab+ Harrison County Ab+
West Tallahatchie Ab+ Pearl River 51.2
Prentiss 58.6 Picayune Ab-O
Baldwin Ab-O
Popularville
Separate Ab-O
Booneville Ab-O Pearl River County Ab+
Prentiss County Ab-O Itawamba 50.5
Benton 58.2 Itawamba County Ab-O
Benton County Ab-O Lauderdale 50.4
Jefferson Davis 58 Lauderdale County Ab+
Jefferson Davis
County Ab+ Meridian Ab+
Jones 58 Monroe 50.2
Jones County Ab-O Amory Ab-O
Laurel Ab+ Monroe County Ab-O
Marion 57.9 Aberdeen Ab+
Columbia Ab-O Tippah 49.8
Marion County Ab-O North Tippah Ab-O
Grenada 57.8 South Tippah Ab-O
Grenada Ab-O Lowndes 48.8
Walthall 57.5 Lowndes County Ab-O
Walthall County Ab-O Columbus Municipal Ab+
Noxubee 57.2
MS School for Math and Science Ab+
Noxubee County Ab-O Franklin 48.6
Leake 56.9 Franklin County Ab-O
Leake County Ab+
AB-O: Abstinence-only sex-education AB+: Abstinence-plus sex-education
AB+CHART: CHART approved abstinence-plus curriculum
Table A.1 Continued: Counties, Birthrates, School Districts and Method of Sex-Ed
County Rate School District Method County Rate School District Method
Hinds 48.4 Stone 35.8
Hinds County Ab-O Stone County Ab+
Clinton Ab+ Clarke 34.6
Hinds County AHS Ab+ Enterprise Ab-O
Jackson Public Ab+ Quitman Ab-O
MS School for the Deaf Ab+ DeSoto 34.2
Winston 46.4 Desoto County Ab-O
Louisville Ab-O Hancock 34.1
Union 46 Bay St. Louis-Waveland Ab+
Union County Ab-O Hancock County Ab+
New Albany Ab-O Carroll 34
Jackson 45 Carroll County Ab+
Jackson County Ab-O Lamar 27.6
Moss Point Ab+ Lamar County Ab-O
Ocean Springs Ab+ Lumberton Ab+
Pascagoula Ab+ Madison 25.1
Lincoln 44.8 Canton Ab-O
Brookhaven Ab-O Madison County Ab-O
Lincoln County Ab-O Montgomery 24.6
MS School for the Arts Ab+ Montgomery County Ab-O
Greene 40.5 Winona Separate
Greene County Ab-O Choctaw 24.5
Claiborne 39.1 Choctaw County Ab-O
Clairborne County Ab-O Kemper 21.1
Webster 38.3 Kemper County Ab+
Webster County Ab-O Oktibbeha 17.9
Rankin 37.9 Oktibbeha County
Ab- o/Ab+
Pearl Public Ab-O Starkville Ab+
Rankin County Ab-O Lafayette 16.8
Attala 37.1 Lafayette County Ab-O
Attala County Ab-O Oxford Ab+
Kosciusko Ab-O
Tate 36.9
Tate County Ab-O
Senatobia Municipal Ab-O Forrest 36
Forrest County Ab-O Forrest County AHS Ab-O Hattiesburg Public
Ab- O/Ab+
Petal Ab-O
AB-O: Abstinence-only sex-education AB+: Abstinence-plus sex-education
AB+CHART: CHART approved abstinence-plus curriculum
48
Appendix B: Questions on the survey and survey recruitment letter Table B.1: Survey Questions
Questions Responses #
Are you 18 years of age or older? Yes 70
No
Total 0 70 How many children do you have between the
ages of 12 and 19? 0 12
1 12
2 26
3 5
4 1
5 or more
Total 0 56 In which school district do your children attend
school? Drop down list of counties and school districts
Does your child's school teach sex education? Yes 39
No 5
Don't Know
Total 9 53 Do you know what method of sex-education your
child's school teaches? Abstinence-Only 7
Abstinence-Plus 32
Don't Know
Total 0 39 Do you agree or disagree with the following
statement: I feel I have a clear understanding of the sex-education method in my children's school
district. Strongly Agree 6
Agree 16
Neither Agree nor Disagree 11
Disagree 15
Strongly Disagree 1
Don't Know
Total 0 49 Do you agree or disagree with the following
statement: Teen pregnancy is an issue in my
child's school district. Strongly Agree 15
Agree 22
Neither Agree nor Disagree 11
Disagree 4
Strongly Disagree
Total 1 53 Do you support the sex-education method in your
child's school district? Strongly Support 15
Somewhat support 13
Neutral 13
Somewhat oppose 5
Strongly Oppose
Total 5 51
Table B.1: Survey Questions Continued
Questions Responses #
Tell me the different topics you think sexual education for children ages 12-19 should include.
Check all that apply.
Abstinence as an effective way of avoiding unwanted
pregnancies and STIs 43
Contraception as an effective way of avoiding unwanted
pregnancies and STIs 47
General education about contraception. (This does not
include application demonstration.) 34
Demonstration of how to apply contraception 27
I don't know
0 Which of the following statements is closest to
your view on sex-education? Abstinence for teens and knowledge about STIs and
contraception should have equal emphasis 31
Teaching teens to abstain from sexual activity is most
important. 3
Teaching teens about STIs and contraception is most
important 17
Government and the schools should not teach abstinence or
information about STIs and contraception. 1
I don't know
Total 0 52
Please read the information and answer the questions that follow:
Abstinence-Only: May incorporate the following subjects, but does not have to teach any of them: Teaches the positive aspects of abstaining from sexual activity; Teaches the negative consequences of having sex; Teaches about health, financial, educational, and other difficulties the child can face if he/she does not abstain from sex; Teaches that abstinence is the only way to guarantee not getting pregnant and not contracting STIs
Abstinence-Plus: Must teach every component of the
abstinence-only method, as well as the following subjects:
Teaches the types of contraception available to teens, as well as the failure rates of contraception; Discusses the nature, causes, and effects of STIs, along with prevention
Comprehensive: Provides information about abstinence and contraception as tools to prevent unwanted pregnancy and STIs; Discusses the nature, causes, and effects of STIs, along with prevention; May demonstrate how contraception is applied
NOTE: STI stands for Sexually Transmitted Infection. This used to be referred to as STD - Sexually Transmitted Disease
After reading the information, which sex- education method do you feel is best for your
?
Abstinence-only
3
child? Abstinence-plus 17
Comprehensive 30
Don't Know
Total 0 50
What is your gender? Male 6
Female Total
44 50
50 Table B.1: Survey Questions Continued
Questions Responses #
What is your religious preference? Protestant 27
Roman Catholic 7
Jewish 2
Another Religion 4
No Religion
Total 10 50 What denomination of Protestant do you identify
with? Baptist 7
Episcopalian 8
Presbyterian 8
Anglican 0
Pentecostal 0
Lutheran 0
Don't know/ Not applicable
Total 0 23
How often do you attend a religious service? More than once a week 7
Once a week 16
Almost every week 4
About once a month 4
A few times a year 9
Never 1
I don't know
Total 0 41 To what degree do you feel your religion impacts
your decision making process about sexual
education methods for children? Definitely impacts 15
Somewhat impacts 15
Not a lot of impact 7
Definitely impacts 4
I don't know
Total 0 41 What is the highest degree or level of education
you have completed? Less than high school 0
High school graduate 0
Some college, no degree 4
Associate's degree 4
Bachelor's degree 11
Graduate or professional degree 41
What is your race? For purposes of this question, persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin may be of any race.
White 49
Black or African American 1
American Indian or Alaska Native 0
Asian 0
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 0
Other Race
Total 0 50
Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? Yes 48
No Total
2 50