Bush pushing abstinence-only education

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Bush pushing abstinence-only education
13
Fri, 02-13-2004 - 1:33pm
Funding for abstinence-only sex education
2/13/2004 8:24 AM
By: Associated Press

WHITE HOUSE -- The Bush administration wants to double spending on school sex-education programs that teach abstinence, with no discussion about birth control or condoms.


The proposal comes despite a lack of evidence that such programs work. There is even specific evidence that they don't work.


An independent study commissioned by the Minnesota health department has found that sexual activity doubled among junior high school students who took part in an abstinence-only program.


And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says declining birth and pregnancy rates among teen-agers during the last decade are attributable to both abstinence and contraception.


A person who helped write the administration's abstinence education program said the Minnesota study is unscientific and says the CDC didn't give enough credit to abstinence.


http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=97850&SecID=2

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 02-13-2004 - 3:31pm
UR*$(HFIEOHF*(WEHFOE:H*EW(YHFNIRHI:HR(*P#(*HTP$(YR!!

is what i have to say to that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2003
Fri, 02-13-2004 - 6:35pm
(((banging head repeatedly against computer desk)))
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2003
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 12:06pm
Good for him!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2003
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 12:28pm
Okay, here's my problem with abstinence-only sex education. First, you're telling people to resist one of the strongest human drives that there is, at a time when it is the most difficult to resist it. Will fewer teenagers have sex? YES. Will it decrease the teen pregnancy rate? NO. Because now all of the teens that were unable to resist the urge are absolutely clueless about how to protect themselves from pregnancy or STDs. Someone will tell them something stupid like you can't get pregnant on your first time or that you can't get pregnant if you don't orgasm, etc.

For the people who actually abstain, they're fine.

But for the many more people who give in, they are now almost guaranteed to get pregnant or get a disease.

How does that help anyone?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-05-2003
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 9:56pm
This makes me so glad that i can vote this year

When will Bush ever learn that young people are gonna have sex with or without education
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2002
Thu, 02-19-2004 - 8:11am
Makes me glad that I don't live in the States!

It is better to educate people about their options, and perhaps teach them more about how to handle peer pressure, and also about where they can seek the help they are after, rather than teach abstinence.

The problem that I had with my high school in New Zealand was that they didn't teach sex education early enough (not that it affected me), mainly for the fact that by the time they taught it to us, most of us were of legal age (in New Zealand the legal age for sex is 16), and a number of girls had already had abortions. They were still teaching us about puberty change at the age of 15!!! By that time we'd already had it rammed down our throats for the previous four years!!

 


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Thu, 02-19-2004 - 8:34am
I really wanted to aviod this issue but I cant any longer. I am former teacher of biology where I taught Anatomy and Physiology and taught the reproductive system to grades 11-12. Though my job was to teach how the system works (health class was for sex ed) I often got questions. I best tried to aviod giving my opion because that is what it would be considering it wasnt my "job" to teach sex ed(my opinion would be overstepping my teaching bounderies). I usually asked the kids if they could bring up any info from sex ed class. Anyway, to get to my point, as a parent and a teacher, I truely honestly believe it is a parents job to educated their children on this subject. Everyone has different beliefs and who better to teach those. Yes, I know that some have parents that are unapproachable(mine werent the easiest)...and that is a shame........ Just my two cents. I respect everyones opinion on this subject.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2002
Thu, 02-19-2004 - 9:21am

While I have pretty strong feelings on the subject, I'll spare you... ;)

Judie Image hosted by Photobucket.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2000
Thu, 02-19-2004 - 9:49am
I don't agree with abstinence-only programs, but I also have a problem with the fact that abstinence doesn't get the respect it deserves in some circles. Yes, many teens have sex. But, many don't. Others might like that option, but the world around them is telling them that "everybody does it." I think we often give teens far too little credit. Humans aren't animals. We do have a measure of self-control.

I may be in the minority on this opinion, but I don't think 14, 15, 16, 17 year olds should be having sex. They should be focusing on growing into self-reliant adults, focusing on their educations, and their careers.

People may laugh at the concept of abstinence, but there's a lot to recommend it, and I think we ought to be presenting it as a *viable option* to young people.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2003
Thu, 02-19-2004 - 10:31am
Well, human beings ARE animals, but that is a different debate & doesn't belong here.

I completely agree with you that teens shouldn't be having sex. However, I think that they are MORE likely to abstain if they are fully informed. Teaching them "don't have sex" doesn't tend to be effective. Teach them about their bodies, about their reproductive systems, how things work (to the exent that we know), what the consequences of their actions could be..... make sure they know that they have the right to decide what to do with their own body, and be comfortable with that body, and I think more of them will wait.

I can think of two people that I know: one was HIGHLY educated, by her parents, on the workings of her body, sex, birth control. She was SCARED to have sex as a teen, because she didn't want to deal with the possible side effects. The other comes from a very religious family, "if you teach kids about sex you're encouraging them to have it" types. Hmmm..... more than 1/2 of the females (including her mother) in her immediate family were pregnant before marriage (she wasn't, but she wasn't a virgin either).

I realize that neither example is quite talking about teaching abstinence, but one was taught about her body, without being told she SHOULDN'T have sex (but that is was an option) and she waited. The family that was taught no sex ed still had sex & didn't know how to protect themselves.

I do think abstinence is a viable option, but it isn't the ONLY option, so people need to be educated about all kinds of birth control.

Responding also to Josie's earlier remarks - I TOTALLY agree that this education should come from parents. Unfortunately, many parents don't teach much (My Mom didn't tell me I would get a period), so there does need to be other means of educatng people available.

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