Abstinence Education, abstaining from educating

From SFGate.com, we have a look at the latest studies into the effectiveness of Abstinence-only sex education.

Still not looking good. The best results for it still lie in

While that was too few to reach any conclusions...

The jury is still out...

This is the best support.

Now let's finish the sentences.

"While that was too few to reach any conclusions," he wrote, none of the six programs delayed the age at which the students first had sex.

"The jury is still out," Kirby said in an interview. "At the same time, abstinence-only programs are replacing programs where we have good evidence that they do work."

So not only are they showing no proof of having an impact, they are preventing legit and serious education options from being used.

Why?

For one, some parents aren't comfortable. Which means they don't want to deal with it, and they don't want someone else to either. Heaven forbid the kids get accurate and clinic knowledge. Heaven forbid your kids be aware of the dangers to them. Heaven forbid the kids get real advice, not bullet points, spread to support a socio-political position.

Which is the other trouble with science and reality. It is inconvenient. Gays are freaks. Sex before marriage is evil. FEAR IT.

And we need myths. Or, they'll go blind!

She believes comprehensive sex education should be required, rather than merely permitted, by the state. "Because there are so many myths out there," Brindis said, and teens grow up in a culture dense with sexualized mass media.

"One myth I've heard is that a person can't get pregnant the first time, and by the way, 20 percent of teens do. I've heard that if your boyfriend drinks Mountain Dew you won't get pregnant, or if you have sex standing up. Or if you sit on a cold sidewalk after you have sex -- I heard that in Southern California.

"I see in my work how early childbearing is both a result of poverty and how it contributes to an endless cycle of poverty. There's a lot of people who believe knowledge is dangerous, that if you give kids more information about condoms they'll go out and have sex.

"But isn't it better," Brindis asked, "to give young people and our large immigrant population the tools to plan? I can't think of anything more moral."

This is what they want kids left with? They aren't reducing the odds of the boys and girls getting sexual. But they are preventing education and debunking of sex myths that could keep their kids, childless, healthy, and alive.

Their parents. Shouldn't they be the adults then? Grow up, and grow a pair (testes or ovaries -- Just be adults!).


More reality:

"On the other hand, we know that people in this country greatly value sexual intimacy regardless if it's in marriage. So it's not accurate to say that abstinence is the value of the United States when it's not held by 95 percent of the population."

Kids, don't do what EVERYONE else is doing...Really.

And the Bush Administration:

In November, the Bush administration appointed a new abstinence-friendly chief of family planning at the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Eric Keroack had been medical director at a Massachusetts pregnancy counseling organization whose Web site states: "The crass commercialization and distribution of birth control is demeaning to women, degrading of human sexuality, and adverse to human health and happiness."

And to think we once thought, about 50 years ago, it would be none to long before women would have easier access to the pill, and more control of the issue...but I'll finish that thought later in a rant.

"What's really sad is that Bush is trying to take some of the policies that didn't work in Texas and implement them nationwide."

That grand leadership at work people! Aren't you thrilled?