We, the undersigned medical and public health organizations, stand in strong opposition to the addition of any provision to legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that would interfere in the relationship between students and health care providers by limiting access to information or health care services. On February 26th, 2015, during consideration of H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, a politically motivated amendment was added to the Manager’s Amendment that would do just that.

The amendment was a misguided attempt to ban schoolbased health centers from sharing ageappropriate, medically accurate information about the full range of reproductive health care options, including abortion. Research has shown that access to comprehensive and medically accurate sex education and contraception enables young people to make healthy decisions, ultimately leading to better health outcomes. This helps young people delay having sex, use condoms and contraception when they do become sexually active, and reduces teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion. Young people need – and deserve – accurate, unbiased, and trusted communications with health care professionals.