If you believe students should have real sex education, you are not alone. Speak up. Speak out. Make a difference! Here are some ideas to get started.
Find out what’s happening in your local school district.
Speak to your children, other young people, health teachers, teachers unions, the superintendent, the principal, or the school board about the type of sex education offered in your school district. For more information, see Lambda Legal’s “Questions to Ask.”
Help parents and teachers learn more about the issue.
Join the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and encourage others to participate. Lead a discussion on the differences between abstinence-only programs and real sex education.
Create a community group.
Involve parents, teachers, students and neighbors. Organize meetings and create an action plan to educate others and improve the sex education program in your school district.
Join or create a coalition.
Contact individuals and organizations to help with your fight. Consider involving potential allies like: local family planning and advocacy organizations, local religious leaders, and teen health experts.
Circulate a petition.
Have others sign on to show elected officials that the public supports real sex education, not abstinence-only programs.
Become a school board member or help get out the vote!
Draft a resolution.
Start a campaign to have your local school board adopt a comprehensive sex education resolution.
Write to elected officials.
Draft a letter containing the basic information that you can tailor for different school board members, the state comissioner of education, city council members, representatives, senators, etc. Look in the government section of your local phone book or use an internet search engine like www.congress.org for contact information. To get started, see Lambda Legal’s “Sample Letter/Testimony.”
Develop a media presence.
Draft letters and opinion-editorials (op-eds) for your local newspaper. Tell local news channels about the agenda for the next school board meeting. Build relationships with local reporters and provide information. To get started, see Lambda Legal’s “Sample Op-ed.”
Spread the word far and wide.
Use the internet for research and to spread your message. Give this kit to other people.