Palin's sex-ed views a bit murky

ANCHORAGE, Alaska • Gov. Sarah Palin hasn't done anything to promote the type of sex education backed by social conservatives, who want kids taught a message of no sex until marriage.

But her position on sex education is a little murky.

In the 2006 governor campaign, Palin was asked about sex education by the conservative group Eagle Forum Alaska in a written questionnaire.

Here's the exchange:

Eagle Forum: Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?

Palin: "Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support."

But asked about Palin's views on sex education last week, Maria Comella, her spokeswoman in the vice presidential campaign, said that Palin "supports sex education in terms of teaching of contraceptives and everything." She doesn't support "abstinence-only" education, Comella said.

At any rate, Alaska has no standards or even a suggested curriculum for sex education, and Palin hasn't tried to change that, said Eric Fry, spokesman for the state Department of Education. Sex ed is up to local school districts.

Also during the 2006 campaign, Palin said she was pro-contraception but didn't specify what kind or what she thought about teens using birth control.