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.

"I think we've written off abstinence-only education without looking closely at the nature of the evidence," said John B. Jemmott III, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who led the federally funded study. "Our study shows this could be one approach that could be used."

Really? Now who would have thought a program that teaches the value of waiting for the appropriate time would do better than a "how to" program?

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Comments:

Abstinence education is out and teen pregnancy is up. Hmm, who’d have thunk?

Everyone needs to read the Get Religion take on this story. Very interesting how the liberal media tries to spin these positive results in a negative way.

[1] Posted by robroy on 02-02-2010 at 06:13 PM • top

No, no, no. The only way to avoid pregnancy and sexual disease is by having sex with a condom. I know that’s true ‘cause I learned it in school thanks to tax dollars at work.

[2] Posted by Festivus on 02-02-2010 at 08:55 PM • top

I think our schools are teaching that abstinence is OK as long as it is not over done. Moderation in all things!

[3] Posted by PROPHET MICAIAH on 02-03-2010 at 10:41 AM • top

The problem is that no matter what the schools say, pretty much the entirety of pop culture and entertainment teaches that chastity is something to mock, not celebrate. Hence movies like American Pie and Forty Year Old Virgin. Furthermore, many kids having kids are simply following the example of their parents.

What no secular school can teach is the foundational moral view of putting God over the world.

[4] Posted by AndrewA on 02-03-2010 at 11:29 AM • top

Half of 8th and 9th graders are having sex !?!?

[5] Posted by Michael D on 02-03-2010 at 11:46 AM • top

What has helped my daughter in this regard has been to have an out-of-control [high school] classmate that started the year with a baby in ICU that later died and now she is pregnant again. My daughter has resolved to be awesome on her own.

Then again, teen-aged boys are their own worst enemy, too.

[6] Posted by Stephen on 02-03-2010 at 11:57 AM • top

The problem is that no matter what the schools say, pretty much the entirety of pop culture and entertainment teaches that chastity is something to mock, not celebrate.

Which makes me think nothing will change for children until their parents - and other adult family members - change.

[7] Posted by oscewicee on 02-03-2010 at 12:05 PM • top

These programs aren’t really Abstinence-Only programs. They don’t deal with the morality of sex. They don’t address the question “Abstinent until when?” They don’t touch on the purpose of sex, or its relationship to marriage. It amounts to little more than a declaration that having sex “too soon” is “a poor decision” and that it is best to “wait.” But there is no guidance about what those boundaries might entail.

I personally think that resistence to even these weak Abstinence programs is rooted in a desire to leverage children out from under the influence of their parents by means of sex. Teachers say in effect “Don’t listen to your parents. Listen to us. You can have sex. We will give you permission. Your parents are wrong to be so restrictive about your behavior.” The not-so-subtle implication is that parents are wrong about a great many other things as well. And sexual indulgence is a powerful lever to apply.

carl

[8] Posted by carl on 02-03-2010 at 12:08 PM • top

You can not separate sex education from morality. And sicne there is no common consensus on what moral sexual behavior is within this culture, I firmly believe that sex education should (if it goes beyond the biological basics) be left to the parents.

Sexuality can not be isolated from the whole person. And it is just as wrong to give children the mantra “just wait” as it is to toss a pack of pills or condoms at them. You have to give them the tools to make right decisions. And those tools are developed way before they are faced with the choice of whether to have sex.

And don’t forget sex education these days goes way beyond questions of premarital pregnancy. They are heavily slanted towards advancing the gay agenda and promoting promiscious behavior.

[9] Posted by Paula Loughlin on 02-03-2010 at 12:37 PM • top

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