Abstinence-only programs might work, study says

[homstdr74]

Quoting from the Washington Post article: "Sex education classes that focus on encouraging children to remain abstinent can persuade a significant proportion to delay sexual activity, researchers reported Monday in a landmark study that could have major implications for U.S. efforts to protect young people against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Only about a third of sixth- and seventh-graders who completed an abstinence-focused program started having sex within the next two years, researchers found. Nearly half of the students who attended other classes, including ones that combined information about abstinence and contraception, became sexually active.

The findings are the first clear evidence that an abstinence program could work." End of quote.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

[Due East]

Abstinence only doesn't work. For every study that you find that says it does, you can find ten that say it doesn't. Just say no doesn't work. However, if you look at our own school district in which 60+ girls are either pregnant or already have babies, what 99% of those girls have in common is kind of family they have. I'm not talking about Christian, I'm not talking about one or two parent homes, I'm not talking about poor or wealthy, I'm simply talking about whether they communicate with each other, whether they care about each other in mature ways, etc. Any girl can be pregnant out of wedlock, from the preachers kid to the drug dealer's kid, but it is less likely to happen in families that talk and expectations are known and followed through on from birth. Most kids want to do the right thing, but it isn't always easy.

[homstdr74]

Originally Posted by Due East

Abstinence only doesn't work. For every study that you find that says it does, you can find ten that say it doesn't. Just say no doesn't work. However, if you look at our own school district in which 60+ girls are either pregnant or already have babies, what 99% of those girls have in common is kind of family they have. I'm not talking about Christian, I'm not talking about one or two parent homes, I'm not talking about poor or wealthy, I'm simply talking about whether they communicate with each other, whether they care about each other in mature ways, etc. Any girl can be pregnant out of wedlock, from the preachers kid to the drug dealer's kid, but it is less likely to happen in families that talk and expectations are known and followed through on from birth. Most kids want to do the right thing, but it isn't always easy.

Just look at the difference in the two above posts. The original post says "Abstinence only programs might work." Your post states flatly that "Abstinence only doesn't work". There seems to be a bias in one of the two statements. Which is it?

[Due East]

Mine, because there are some chances I MIGHT not want to take with our youth.

[homstdr74]

Originally Posted by Due East

Mine, because there are some chances I MIGHT not want to take with our youth.

Then don't give them the ideas and the tools with which to take those chances.

[Due East]

Of course you're right. Lock them in their rooms, don't let them watch tv, read magazines, or do anthing other than eat or sleep. That way they won't get any ideas. Lebanon teaches abstinence only sex ed, and a couple of years ago 80+ students were either preganant or already were parents. Do you think that playboys are part of the school curriculum? Do you think porn is shown othe tv's? I doubt it, but maybe. It doesn't take a lot to give kids "ideas". Look at the state report card for teen pregnancy. Laclede County is near the bottom of all counties in the state with regard to the number of teen pregnancies. Abstinance education simply allows adults to feel moral and self-righteous. It doesn't give the tools to kids to keep from being pregnant. And unfortunately, neither do enough parents, but the answer to the problem is to involve parents and families, not burying our head in the sand hoping and pretending that we're doing good by teaching/preaching abstinence.

[homstdr74]

Originally Posted by Due East

Of course you're right. Lock them in their rooms, don't let them watch tv, read magazines, or do anthing other than eat or sleep. That way they won't get any ideas. Lebanon teaches abstinence only sex ed, and a couple of years ago 80+ students were either preganant or already were parents. Do you think that playboys are part of the school curriculum? Do you think porn is shown othe tv's? I doubt it, but maybe. It doesn't take a lot to give kids "ideas". Look at the state report card for teen pregnancy. Laclede County is near the bottom of all counties in the state with regard to the number of teen pregnancies. Abstinance education simply allows adults to feel moral and self-righteous. It doesn't give the tools to kids to keep from being pregnant. And unfortunately, neither do enough parents, but the answer to the problem is to involve parents and families, not burying our head in the sand hoping and pretending that we're doing good by teaching/preaching abstinence.

Well, it doesn't make much sense to argue this topic. Because of the divisiveness, politics has made it a political football. Since the liberals are in charge now, there'll be a lot of doling out of sexual apparatuses (such as condoms) and talk about what weird sex is like and descriptions of all sorts and varieties of sexual acts. But hopefully, when conservatives take over, the laws will be overturned and changed around again.

If all of it fails, we should all prepare for the eventual "Idiocracy" that will overtake the republic.

[RajunCajun]

I will agree with DueEast on the fact that parents should be more involved and good communication needs to be established in the house hold. To say that teaching abstenance doesn't work is a little closed minded. Parents do need to realize that schools are an educating institute, not a moral institute. Both parents and schools need to work hand in hand to educate, on any level, academically or morally.

[Fishin' Cricket]

Originally Posted by homstdr74

Then don't give them the ideas and the tools with which to take those chances.

You propose we remove their sex organs?

[napoleon]

Abstinence is the only form of birth control and STD prevention that works every time it is used.