Roundup: Abstinence Study Fall Out

Did a new study about abstinence eduction catch comprehensive sex ed proponents with their pants down?

Well, I suppose it’s inevitable.  The day I make a roundup about how abstinence only plans just don’t work, someone has to release a study saying "Hey, maybe they aren’t quite as bad as we thought."  Am I daunted?  Of course not! This study actually encourages everything we’ve believed about NOT providing abstinence only sex ed.

Confused?  Let me explain.

First, the Washington Post article about the study points out that the "abstinence group" had a few things different from the abstinence only education classes pushed by the anti-choice advocates:

Several critics of an abstinence-only approach said that the curriculum
tested did not represent most abstinence programs. It did not take a
moralistic tone, as many abstinence programs do. Most notably, the
sessions encouraged children to delay sex until they are ready, not
necessarily until married; did not portray sex outside marriage as
never appropriate; and did not disparage condoms.

"There is no data in this study to support the ‘abstain until
marriage’ programs, which research proved ineffective during the Bush
administration," said James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth.

A class that says you should wait to have sex, and that a condom might be a good thing to use?  Call me crazy, but that sounds like a sex ed class to me.

The L.A. Times makes it even more clear:

The study was conducted among 662 African American sixth- and
seventh-graders in four low-income schools in the northeastern United
States. The students were randomized into four groups.

One
received an eight-hour abstinence-only class focusing on the risks of
pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. It was based on principles
shown to be effective in reducing transmission of sexually transmitted
diseases and did not use a moralistic tone or portray sex in a negative
light.

A second group received an eight-hour safe-sex class. The third group
received a comprehensive eight- or 12-hour class emphasizing both
aspects. The control group received education only about healthy living.
….


Catherine Camacho,
deputy director for the California Department of Public Health’s Center
for Family Health, said previous research had shown that it made sense
to include abstinence education as part of a comprehensive program.

"A
comprehensive approach that does include abstinence is the most
effective program," she said. "We have never disagreed with that. But
we would prefer to call it abstinence-plus."

The argument has never been about only teaching safe sex practices versus only teaching abstinence only education.  Reasonable parties have always wanted to teach a comprehensive approach that tells teens that you should wait to have sex, but if you don’t, you need to protect yourself and your partner from pregnancy and disease, especially via the use of condoms.  

This latest study totally supports those findings.

Of course, that isn’t stopping the usual suspects from trying to use it as a cudgel to end any program that doesn’t stick just to a "no sex before marriage" curriculum.  Pro-Life Wisconsin, reacting to the movement of the Healthy Youth Act through legislature, released this statement yesterday:

Matt Sande, director of legislation for Pro-Life Wisconsin, told
LifeSiteNews that in addition to disrespecting the opinions of parents,
pastors, and other local community leaders, the bill "contradicts sound
science."

A study in
the Journal of the American Medical Association released today details
how abstinence-only sexual education is linked to a lower rate of
sexual activity among high-risk teens.  

"This clinical study
demonstrates that abstinence-only education programs can be very
effective in curbing teen sexual activity,” said Sande.  "Regrettably,
the ideological and political agenda of Planned Parenthood dictates
public policy in our state – and it is our kids who will suffer the
consequences."

Luckily, in Utah, where a contentious plan to add information on contraception to sex ed classrooms, people are taking a much more reasonable approach to the new study:

Liz Zentner, Utah PTA health commissioner, said she believes
abstinence has gotten a bad rap. "This study seems to validate an
approach that many feel has the best chance of helping kids make the
healthiest choice both physically and emotionally."

Zentner
added she would be interested in seeing the curriculum the students in
the study used. "We want to use an approach that has demonstrated it
has a solid track record of making a difference," she said.

In short, no, the people advocating sex ed that isn’t simply a "don’t do it ever!" approach didn’t get caught with their pants down with the release of this new abstinence study.  It simply proves what we already knew: teach kids to wait, but also to be responsible.  And to spend more time figuring out how to address the real problems that add to risk of teenage pregnancy.

Mini Roundup: Tired of Super Bowl controversy?  How about some real reality tv?

 

February 2, 2010

Utah
Legislature: Abstinence findings fuel sex-ed debate
Deseret News

Wisc.
Legislature Approves Bill Requiring Schools To Teach About
Contraception
Medical News Today

A
Verdict Against Vigilantism
New York Times

Is
the Ban on Federally Funded
Abortions Constitutional?
Huffington Post

Planned
Parenthood
Abortion Biz
President Becomes Ford Foundation Trustee
LifeNews.com

 

February 1, 2010

Tebow’s
Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are
Washington Post

An
Untold Story:Reproduction Coercion

NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Blog

The
Streisand Effect
Opposing
Views

Study
finds focus on abstinence in sex-ed classes can delay sexual activity
Washington Post

CBS
And Its Homophobic Superbowl Double-Standard
Huffington Post

Potential
2012 GOP Presidential Candidates Raise Big Money, Back Pro-Lifers
LifeNews.com

Ohio
Pro-Life
Group Backs Portman, Kasich and Other Candidates for State Office
LifeNews.com

Ron
Paul: "
Pro-Life
Action Must Originate From Principle"
CCN News Online

Is Pro-Life
Religion-Neutral?
Stanford
Review

Protesting
Pope Benedict’s Visit To Britain
Irish Central

Watson
signs deal for emergency
contraceptive

BusinessWeek

How
to Get a Teenager Pregnant
Psychology Today

Should
CBS Have Allowed the Tebow Ad?
New York Times

Hospital
worker ‘told family of teenager’s
abortion
BBC News

Letter
from Religious Organizations Supports "
Abortion Neutral" Health Care
Reform
Ethiopian
Review

What
Would Jesus Do?
Huffington
Post

Show
Lets Viewers Decide If ‘Reality Stars’ Get
Abortions
FOXNews

OPINION
SHAPER: ‘Just Say No’ to Planned Parenthood
Mansfield News Journal

Abstinence-only
classes may be effective for young teens
Los Angeles Times

Haiti
‘orphan’ rescue mission:
Adoption or child trafficking?
Christian Science Monitor