I urge you at VDH to remove from Virginia School Health Guidelines the Advocates for Youth website, and any other links that provide content on abortion access, sexuality, gender identity and other related topics. These are topics that should be discussed with parents.

The state is overreaching when it presumes to instruct children in matters as personal as human sexuality, particularly if it is not presenting other sources of information which may have a different perspective. 

Links to sites that promote campaigns like “Abortion Out Loud” and “Free the Pill Youth Council” are offensive and undermine parental responsibility for teaching children about these topics. The worst part is that some of these videos seem to be aimed at young children. Allow parents to decide what they want their child exposed to and when. As all educators and parents know, children mature at different rates, particularly when it comes to readiness for materials with a sexual content. Instead, give interested parents best practices for wise ways to discuss these issues with their children. Otherwise, it comes across as the state deciding what is best for individual children and families, and it takes on an overbearing , semi-propagandistic tone.

Thank you for listening and your consideration.