Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (“ICAH”)
Why We Support the Age-Appropriate, Medically Accurate, Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Component of the RHAA
As a sophomore at Curie Metropolitan High School, Yessenia Cervantes noticed that teen pregnancy was a problem not only in her school but in the neighborhood. She had taken a health class her freshman year, but didn’t get any good information. “I knew better. I was given some information in grammar school and my parents were open.”
Not all youth are as fortunate as Yessenia. She saw friends who were making bad decisions. “They weren’t taught better. They didn’t hear about sex at home. Of course, they didn’t hear about sex at school.”
In Illinois, about half of high school students have had sex and more than one-quarter of students are sexually active. More than 35,000 young women become pregnant in Illinois each year. Illinois youth ages 15 to 19 comprise 72 percent of Chlamydia and 64 percent of gonorrhea cases. Illinois youth need comprehensive sexual health education.
