(AgapePress) - A Michigan pro-family group is backing two bills in the state Senate that would require public schools to teach students to remain abstinent until marriage.

The bills provide school districts with guidelines to follow and encourage more parental involvement in advisory committees that craft and implement health curricula.

Brad Snavely, executive director of the Michigan Family Forum, says even though Michigan law requires school districts that teach sex education to also teach abstinence, the abstinence message is not given equal time or even sufficient time to make a difference.

"If schools aren't going to adequately teach abstinence -- if they're going to mention it and go on and talk about contraceptives -- they're really contradicting the central message for abstinence," Snavely says.

The pro-family spokesman says the abstinence education legislation now awaiting action by the full Senate is being vigorously supported statewide. "I think parents really desire to see abstinence taught. Polls show that," he says. "And more than that, they want abstinence until marriage to be taught -- a strong message -- not just abstinence until whenever you feel like it, but a standard should be in place."

Under the proposed legislation, schools could lose up to five percent of their per-pupil funding if they fail to promote abstinence.

Snavely says to his knowledge the pro-abstinence provision in current Michigan law has never been enforced. But he believes there are enough votes in the Michigan House and Senate to pass both of the new abstinence education bills.

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