In Brief: Oct. 25, 1999

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SEX EDUCATION Although children are constantly exposed to sex in the media, many are still desperately short of reliable information on preventing pregnancy and disease. In a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 54% of high school kids say they wouldn't know what to do if they or someone they know were raped, 51% wouldn't know where to go to be tested for a sexually transmitted disease, and 46% don't know they can get birth control pills without a parent's approval.

REVENGE OF THE MUGGLES Harry Potter may sit atop the best seller lists, but parents in South Carolina have asked state school officials to ban the popular children's book series, claiming it promotes witchcraft and sorcery. According to one of the concerned parents, the volumes by British author J.K. Rowling, about an orphaned child who attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, contain a "tone of death, hate, lack of respect and sheer evil." State officials have said they will review the books and the recommendation. BUCKLE UP The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week notified automakers that rear-seat side air bags pose a possible safety risk to children. The agency is concerned that such air bags can hurt or kill children who are sitting too close to them when they inflate. Even though no such injuries have been reported, the NHTSA suggests that the bags be deactivated when cars are shipped to dealers. Once there, dealers can turn air bags back on if the owners request it.

--By Daniel S. Levy