Does state Sen. Lois Snowe-Mello have nothing more important to do than come up with a bill that undermines a well-working health education curriculum in our schools?

Maine has one of the lowest teenage pregnancy rates per 1,000 students ages 15 through 19. In Maine’s schools, sex education and health-related issues, such as HIV and sexually transmitted disease, are mandated topics. Abstinence is emphasized as well as contraception. The present curriculum has been very successful and doesn’t need any changes.

I do agree with her in that youth need to be taught about abstinence, but it should have been taught by their parents at home, but it wasn’t and still isn’t, resulting in numerous teenage pregnancies. Now state Sen. Snowe-Mello wants to turn back the clock. She needs to take a long, hard look at Texas’ and Mississippi’s teenage pregnancy rates. In these states, sexual education is not mandated and the rate is 101 and 103 pregnancies per 1,000 teenagers. I truly hope that other legislators do not fall for her well-meaning, moral ideology, which hasn’t worked in the past. They should leave well enough alone. Maine is doing a great job.

Heide E. Noel, Lisbon