Mississippi School Board Looks at Abstinence-Only Policy

The school board in West Point is leaning toward an abstinence-only approach for sex education classes in the fall, according to Superintendent Burnell McDonald.

“We think this policy best reflects what the parents want their child to be taught in the schools,” McDonald said. “The abstinence-plus policy would be a lot more controversial because it deals with giving kids options after the fact, and we think our community would want us to teach strictly abstinence.”

The West Point School Board plans to adopt a policy in April, according to the Daily Times Leader. Under a state law, Mississippi schools have until June 30 to decide whether they will add abstinence-only or abstinence-plus classes into the curriculum beginning with the 2012-13 school year.

Students will be segregated by gender in the high school level classes; parents will decide whether or not their children participate.

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