Comprehensive Sex Education

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COLORADO ADULTS
SPEAK UP FOR PROVIDING
SEX EDUCATION TO YOUTH

Parents and other adults can greatly influence a young person’s ability to make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, behaviors and futures. As youth face many complicated decisions about their health, friends, academics and well-being every day, parents and adults also have the power to influence the systems and policies impacting youth and play a key role in the “spheres of influence” on the lives of youth – at the individual, family, community, and policy levels.1

• The majority of Colorado parents (85%) support comprehensive sex education in schools4—much higher than the national
Do you believe that most
Colorado public schools teach comprehensive sex education?

77%

Yes

22%

17%

No

57%

6%

Don’t Know

22%

The majority of Colorado adults (77%) also expect schools to have policies, procedures and trainings in place in order to support school staff to be Askable Adults (approachable) about sexual health topics.

In a school setting, who…

…would adults ask about…
…the sex education being …youth sexual provided in school: health resources:

…should students be able to ask about…
…sexual health questions or concerns:

Administrative Staff principals, vice principals

74%

60%

32%

Health Staff nurse and health center staff

69%

77%

89%

Counseling Staff counselors, social workers

62%

72%

87%

Teaching Staff teachers, paraprofessionals

52%
• Convene a wellness group made up of school staff, students, parents, community members, and subject matter experts to assess and make policy recommendations.

• Share these survey results with adults who care about youth. Collaborate with them on how to use the data to make a local impact.
• Provide youth sexual health information online and other ways - make it easy for adults and youth to get information.
• Cultivate local comprehensive sex education champions by publicizing what is or isn’t being provided in schools. Create opportunities for youth and adults to work in partnership to support comprehensive sex education.

• Share these survey results with others and encourage them to support comprehensive sexual health education in schools, to talk with the young people in their lives, and to educate themselves about sexual health topics.
• Contact local schools to find out what sex education is or isn’t being provided. Let schools know how you feel and how you would be willing to help ensure that youth have access to the best, most accurate information available.
For Individual Youth
• Who are the trusted, askable (approachable) adults in your life? Talk with them about