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January 20, 2016

Mrs. Lou Ann Goding, President
Omaha Public Schools Board of Education
Omaha Public Schools
3215 Cuming Street
Omaha, NE 68131
Via email: louann.goding@ops.org

Dear Mrs. Goding and Members of the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education,
As an organization concerned with the integrity of the public education system and the
application of First Amendment law and principles in public institutions, we write to
support the new, comprehensive sex education curriculum in Omaha Public Schools
(OPS). We understand that there has been controversy in the district regarding the new
standards, including vocal objections to the new curriculum by some community members
and parents. Some of those who object would eliminate material that they consider
inconsistent with the abstinence-only-until-marriage approach, while others would
eliminate references to gender identity. As you prepare to cast your vote on the new
standards, we would like to share with you principles developed by NCAC, the Sexuality
Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), and other prominent
national free speech and health education organizations. We hope these principles will be
helpful in countering attacks on the new, comprehensive curriculum and in developing it
further in line with sound educational principles:
Abstinence-Only Education Is Censorship.
Students in abstinence-only programs receive only information consistent with the
abstinence-until-marriage message. Instead of a comprehensive review of the facts about
contraception, safer sex practices, and sexuality, such classes often distort information
about contraception by focusing on contraceptive failure, and exclude information about
abortion, same sex relationships, and other topics. As a result, students are denied critical
information relevant to their lives.
Abstinence-Only Education Affronts the Principle of Church-State Separation.
Like efforts to discourage the teaching of evolution, abstinence-only education is
promoted by religious groups and individuals in an attempt to impose their own beliefs on
all students in public schools. The curricula used in many abstinence-only programs were
developed by religious groups whose views on sexual orientation, non-marital sex,
contraception, and abortion are not shared by other religions and non-religious people. The

Constitution forbids the promotion or preference of any religious perspective in a public institution, and
public schools must address the educational needs of all students.
Abstinence-Only Education Silences Speech about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
Abstinence-only education excludes information and discussion about LGBTQ sexuality. With its
emphasis on marriage as the "expected standard of human sexual activity" and its statement that "sexual
activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects,"
abstinence-only education reflects hostility to the very notion of same-sex relationships and stigmatizes
students who are, or are thought to be, gay, lesbian or transgender. This potentially exposes LGBTQ
students to increased physical and mental health risks. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
Negative attitudes toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people put these youth at increased risk for
experiences with violence, compared with other students. LGBTQ youth are also at increased risk for
suicidal thoughts and behaviors, suicide attempts, and suicide.
Censorship of Sex Education Is Ineffective and Unnecessary.
The evidence shows that providing students uncensored access to comprehensive sex education does not
promote sexual activity. And there is no definitive evidence that abstinence-only education is effective in
achieving its stated goals of reducing non-marital sex and teen pregnancy rates. Moreover, students who
receive uncensored comprehensive sex education, which includes but is not limited to information about
abstinence, are more likely than students who do not receive this education to practice safer sex more
consistently if they do become sexually active.
OPSs 2015 survey of local parents, which showed that 70% supported the inclusion of LGBT issues and
93% supported high school lessons on birth control, reflects the national attitude. A nation-wide study by
SIECUS found that over 90% of parents believe it is very or somewhat important to have sexuality
education as part of the school curriculum, and that birth control and other methods of preventing
pregnancy are appropriate topics for sexuality education programs in schools.1
We fully support OPSs development of new standards for its sex education program in line with sound
educational principles and the freedom of information, and urge you to vote in favor of those standards
tonight.
NCAC has extensive experience dealing with challenges to sex education, and we would be happy to
assist you if you have further questions or issues.
Sincerely,

Svetlana Mintcheva, Director of Programs

National Coalition Against Censorship

CC: Ms. Yolanda R. Williams, Vice President, yolanda.williams@ops.org

Mrs. Marian Fey, marian.fey@ops.org
Ms. Lacey Merica, lacey.merica@ops.org
Mr. Matt Scanlan, matt.scanlan@ops.org
Mr. Marque A. Snow, marque.snow@ops.org
Mrs. Katie Underwood, katie.underwood@ops.org
Mr. Anthony V. Vargas, anthony.vargas@ops.org
Mr. Justin T. Wayne, justin.wayne@ops.org
1

http://www.siecus.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&PageID=1197