Tulsa Public Schools Votes to Introduce Sex Education Program to Curb STDs, Teen Pregnancy

Oklahoma’s Tulsa Public School Board voted almost unanimously to institute a new pregnancy prevention program at a handful of the district’s high schools. The program, "Making Proud Choices: A Safer Sex Approach to HIV/STDs and Teen Pregnancy Prevention," would be the first teen pregnancy program at Clinton High School, Webster High School, Memorial High School, and Memorial Junior High.

The course, which previously had been an optional summer class, would consist of eight hours of instruction to be taught during physical education class time. The program material would be age-appropriate and might be adopted by more schools in December, said district administrators.

Officials conceded this was a controversial subject for many families, but they hoped that discussion of the subject would curtail issues.

Oklahoma’s teen pregnancy rate ranked fourth in the nation in for girls 15–19 years old, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Tulsa's rate is four times higher than the Oklahoma average.