Wis. Assembly passes sex education law changes

MADISON, Wis. — The Republican-controlled Wisconsin state Assembly has passed a bill that would require schools to teach abstinence as the only reliable way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The measure passed early Wednesday morning is backed by Pro-Life Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Catholic Conference and opposed by Planned Parenthood and the Wisconsin Medical Society.

It would allow schools to teach abstinence-only classes, which was banned under a 2010 law passed by Democrats. No contraception education would be required.

Assembly Democrats argued that changing the sex education law would increase the risk of more sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancies and other problems for young people. Republican backers say it gives school more freedom over their sex education instruction.

The bill previously passed the Senate and now heads to Gov. Scott Walker.