Although a majority of Kanawha County parents with school-aged children say sexual education should be taught in schools, a quarter say they're not even sure they're child is learning anything about human reproduction.

The findings are a result of a Public Policy Polling survey conducted in July 2011. The poll surveyed 260 parents via telephone. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said sex education should be taught in West Virginia schools, while 25 percent said no and 7 percent said they weren't sure. Of those surveyed, 53 percent said sex education was taught in their school district while 21 percent said no and 25 percent said they weren't sure.

"Public support for sex education in public schools is very strong," said Kira Miskimmin, public affairs coordinator for Planned Parenthood Health Systems West Virginia. "we know that sexual health education is critical to our young people. It's critical to helping them lead healthy lives and critical to helping them make informed decisions that will allow them to chart the course of their livesto get an education, choose their careers, to plan a family, you name it."

Miskimmin pointed out that some people view sex education in schools as inappropriate or controversial. However, she pointed out that medical and evidence-based sexual education curriculum is informative and helps teens make better decisions about their sex lives.

"The fact is, the vast majority of Americans support teaching medically-accurate, age appropriate sexual health education to young people in schools," she said.

In addition to the Kanawha County poll, nationally-conducted polls also show that parents want their children to learn about sex in schools.

The poll comes at a time when West Virginia is experiencing the highest teen birth rate in the country. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released last fall, West Virginia was the only state to see an increase in the teen birth rate. Between 2007 and 2009, the birth rate among 15 to 17-year-olds shot up 17 percent, according to that survey.

"Lack of access to health care information and services, high rates of teen and unplanned pregnancy and poor sexual health have very real and often long-term consequences for individuals and communities as well," Miskimmin said. "Unfortunately, West Virginia is not immune to these issues or the social and economic costs that go along with this issue."

Miskimmin called the CDC study "absolutely alarming," but pointed out that more people and groups, such as Planned Parenthood and West Virginia Free, are more tuned in to the issue and ready and willing to do something about it. The federal government has provided a new funding stream to provide sexual health education and programs to reduce teen pregnancy.

"When you think about all of that, we do have a lot of opportunity before us," she said. "We have the opportunity to come together, to educate our teens and give them the tools they need to really chart their futures."

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Survey shows Kanawha County parents want sex education in schools