Utah School Districts Told Not to Use Contraception Presentation

Utah's State Office of Education has notified school districts statewide that a USOE-drafted contraception slide show "must not be used." In a letter sent April 12, Associate Superintendent Brenda Hales said the PowerPoint presentation "wasn't intended to be used in its current form."

USOE developed the 21 slides to help clarify what state law says can and cannot be taught about contraception. The presentation explained different types of contraception, failure rates, and side effects, describing abstinence as the only 100 percent effective way to prevent STDs and pregnancy. The draft was sent to some district health specialists and other groups for comment, but it was abandoned by USOE after lawmakers, activists, and state school board members complained.

The Granite and Salt Lake City districts had decided to allow high school teachers to use the slide show during sex education classes, removing USOE's name from the presentation. "In a touchy subject such as this, you have some teachers who aren't sure what they should and shouldn't say," said Ron Burnside, a curriculum specialist in Granite who helped develop the presentation. Hales sent the letter after learning the districts planned to use the PowerPoint.

CeCie Scharman, healthy lifestyles supervisor for the Salt Lake district, said she was surprised by the letter. The slide show is "very factual," she said.

USOE's letter said districts may create their own presentations but cannot use the slide show as-is, even if they remove USOE's name. Hales also reminded districts that they cannot use sex education materials or speakers unless they are approved by a district's board. In Granite and Salt Lake, only human sexuality review committees had approved the presentation for use.

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