Hawaii’s communities benefit when our youth have the knowledge, skills and resources to make healthy decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

Ninety-seven percent of Hawaii residents believe that it is important to include sexual health education in our public school curriculum, according to a 2012 SMS Research Survey.

Because we have not yet committed the resources to ensure that our young people grow up sexually safe and healthy, Hawaii has the 17th-highest rate of teen pregnancy in the U.S. Each year, more than 1,500 teenage girls give birth in Hawaii.

Women who give birth in their teens and their children face many challenges. At age 22, only half of teen mothers have graduated from high school compared to 90 percent of their peers who did not give birth as teens. Eighty percent receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Benefits during the 10 years following the birth of the child.

The children of teen parents fare less well in school. They score lower on standardized tests of reading and math, are more likely to repeat a grade and are less likely to graduate from high school than their peers. They have a higher rate of emergency room visits, are more likely to have chronic health conditions and have a higher rate of child abuse and neglect.

All of this costs Hawaii taxpayers $37 million dollars a year, 71 percent of it in state and local costs.

How well are Hawaii public schools doing in teaching sexual health? A few students receive a full evidence-based curriculum, some get a token lesson or two, and some health classes do not provide any teaching on sexual topics. In fact, some middle and intermediate schools don’t even offer a health education class.

Most Hawaii residents feel that neither parents nor schools provide a sufficient amount of sexual health information. Only half feel prepared to talk about sexual health topics with their own children.

Sexual health education using age-appropriate, evidence-based curricula reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Young people who complete these programs understand that abstinence is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and they are more likely to recognize that they are not ready to have sex.

Students who complete these classes say, "Now, I understand that it’s OK to say no to sex if I’m not ready."

If you are pregnant or get someone pregnant, it will hold you back from your dreams.

Everyone wants their children to grow up safe, healthy and ready to succeed.

We teach our children how to cross the street safely because we know that one day they will face the risks of traffic. We also need to teach our youth how to protect themselves from the risks of unplanned pregnancy.

The community supports sexual health education in our public schools, and our young people need and deserve it.