Tennessee kids need comprehensive sex education in public schools | Opinion
In December, the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth released the 2021 State of the Child report.
While many of the statistics in the report indicate a need for further support for Tennessee families, one statistic has gotten shockingly little attention.
The report found that girls face outrageously high rates of violence – more than 1 in 6 high school girls in Tennessee experienced physical abuse from a dating partner in the past year.
This number is twice the national rate and significantly higher than other states, and current measures are not working.
Sex education can help students unpack inappropriate experiences
Tennessee does not allow comprehensive sex education in public school classrooms, so we are left without a way to address the root causes of these incidents with student survivors and perpetrators alike.
Girls face unique challenges in accessing support in violent relationships. Current legislation in Tennessee does not allow teachers to recognize that some students might have had sexual experiences or even coerced sexual experiences. Tennessee's state law requires providing shame-based messaging around sexual experiences before marriage.
This makes it difficult for any teen to trust their teachers not to judge them. There is a lack of mental and medical health resources for all Tennesseans — especially lower-income people and children.
As is often the case with response to interpersonal violence, we anticipate concerned government actors will raise alarms about increased criminalization and punishment for those abusing young people in dating relationships.
We have tried this and it simply doesn't work. What else can we do? Teach children to take "no" as an answer, to set their own values-based boundaries, to respect the boundaries others set, and to communicate effectively and responsibly with their friends, family and romantic partners.
We can allow teachers to become "talkable," "askable" adults. If a student notices warning signs of unhealthy relationship behaviors, they should feel comfortable approaching a teacher who has taught about relationships. But using shame and fear in the classroom makes this unlikely and leaves students more vulnerable to abuse.
Tennesseans need responsible, inclusive, fact-based reproductive health and relationship education. This type of education reduces violence, unintended pregnancy and STI contraction—all of which Tennessee sees at alarmingly high rates.
We urge our state leaders to take this violence against children seriously and pass comprehensive evidence-based sex education as soon as possible.
Nina Gurak is policy manager for Healthy and Free Tennessee; Cindi Huss is the managing director for RISE: Healthy for Life, which is an organization that offers responsible, inclusive sexuality education in Northeast Tennessee. Olliette Murry-Drobot is the CEO & president of O2 Strategic Partners, a management consultancy in Memphis. Kelli Nowers is the executive director of Advocates for Women and Kids Equality (AWAKE) in Nashville. Erika Burnett is the executive director of the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga.
