Chlamydia outbreak hits abstinence-only Texas high school, making officials rethink sex ed

Chlamydia outbreak hits abstinence-only Texas high school, making officials rethink sex ed, An abstinence-only high school in a tiny Texas town is battling a colossal chlamydia epidemic.

District officials are rethinking their approach to sex education after 20 of Crane High School’s 300 students tested positive for the sexually transmitted disease.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called the outbreak a health issue at “epidemic proportions,” KFOR reported.

Crane Independent School District officials met Monday to discuss possible updates to the high school’s conservative sex education program.

“We do have an abstinence curriculum, and that evidently ain’t working,” superintendent Jim Rumage told the TV station. “We need to do all we can, although it’s the parents’ responsibility to educate their kids on sexual education.”However, Rumage defended the current teachings to the San Antonio Express-News.

“If kids are not having any sexual activity, they can’t get this disease,” he said. “That’s not a bad program.”

Any changes must be approved by the school board at a May 19 meeting.

The 20-teen outbreak, significant in the west Texas town of 3,000 people, prompted the district to send letters home to parents last week.Chlamydia is curable, but if left untreated can cause permanent damage to women's reproductive systems.

The school district did not immediately return the Daily News' request for comment Wednesday.
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