i love how all the politicians that promote abstinence are over forty or fifty and probably dont know the names of have of the people they had sex with in the sixties and seventies. the only way to prevent std's and pregnancy. schools should promote abstinence, but they also need to give teens the necessary information on how to protect themselves if they are to become involved in a sexual relations, which most teens do. we promote seatbelts in schools and they are only 50% effective in saving lives but we dont promote condoms which are about 99% effective when used properly. sounds like we should be promoting condoms and not telling all the bad parts about them when they can save your life better than a seatbelt

When you get to the heart of sex, no matter what the lifeform, sex is the means by which a powerful force drives life to create new life. Creating new life is a wonderful miracle to be rejoiced. Maybe that's why it was made so exhilirating!!! At least for us human's. To observe at the rest of nature's creations, creating new life is a serious matter. One or the other must dance or display just right, prove that love is real, or no way.

Looking to ALL our ancestors it was, as it needs to be now, the responsibility of the clan, the tribe, the peoples, the culture, now the states, the nations and the world as one to ensure the sexual responsibilty of the new generation. Prove your manhood and womanhood before creating new people. Creating new people is the ultimate act of being alive. Yet we have arrived at a point in the evolution of civilization that we provide no common right of passage for our children to accept the responsibility of being alive. So they make that passage on thier own with little or nothing or absolute BS to guide them thru the fog that we've created for them.

Kids need to know sex is a wonderful gift not to be taken lightly like tying one's shoe. Along with the fringe benefits, sex is about making babies. Plain and simple, making babies. They need to know the biology, the psychology, the good, the bad, the ugly, the blood, sweat and tears of that responsibility! Of that lifetime commitment to the well being of a new life! Teach them as subtlely as possible, but as explicit as neccessary. Just telling a kid to not do something or just telling them to be careful hasn't worked for thousands of years and probably never will. Cabbage patches storks and fairytales are O-K for awhile, but sooner or later the sperm and the eggs are running the show. Given enough STRAIGHT TALK and a little bit of love, kids always manage to do the right thing! We need to trust in them in as much as they need to trust in us. They are the ones who will be bringing new life into this world. As will be thier children. It's our responsibility to give EVERY child EVERYTHING they need to do the job right!

Maybe long ago, when marraige was a special and holy bond of the heart between people who loved and cared for each other, instead of the means that it has become by which the pious, political and profane condemn, subjegate and litigate, the wait was worth it. But what have we given them to look foward to today?

When should kids have sex? When they are ready! Not a moment before. But anytime there-after. Our job is to make sure they're ready. In every way!

Mark

I thought countries where science, medicine and technology have not caught up with archaic cultural beilfs were referred to as "Third World." Where would this measure leave us?

Abstinence is the only sure-fire way to stop any STD. Whether it should be the only government sponsored program to stop STD is another matter entirely. The religious question is also another matter. The focus of any program should be its success, not social/moral/religious concerns. In Uganda their abstinence based sex-ed program has made Uganda the only African country where the spead of AIDS is declining. The proof is in the pudding as they say. Making abstinence the first line of defense (as oppsed to condoms ) makes perfect sense. The AIDS virus is 450 times smaller than a human sperm. Condoms have a 15% failure rate in preventing pregancy. Abstinence doesn't fail. When it's a matter of life and death why gamble it a 15% failure rate? It makes NO sense.

dmichaele

If 55% of those youth who take abstinence pledges are engaging oral sex before marriage, are abstinence only sexual education programs depriving these youth of information regarding how to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases through oral sex?

The problem with most abstinence-only programs is that they are predicated on fear of consequences. Thus, the motivation for abstinence is seen as preventing disease and/or pregnancy rather than seeing abstinence as a characteristic of positive self-esteem. If the emphasis is on saving one's self for a future spouse/committed relationship, then people can see this as a positive behavior/attitude rather than an impediment a happy life.

I am a high school teacher in an urban, minority community where many students grow up without the benefit of two parents, committed to their well being. Our community also has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancies, STD’s, and other youth related problems. I have been teaching abstinence until marriage at our school for the last 4 years and the overwhelming feedback I get from the students year after year is that they are grateful that someone is teaching them about doing what is right for their future without lowering any expectations. I know that many of the students I teach will choose to become sexually active outside of marriage (and trust me, they know all about condoms, birth control etc.) but at least they will have delayed that activity long enough to make it through school and go on to live productively. And some of them, even those who didn’t experience the benefit of having two loving parents themselves, will experience happy marriages and will not become victims of the same cycle of poverty and irresponsibility that continues to drag down the entire community.

Some very reputable researchers have studied the issue of abs. only vs. conmprehensive sex ed. and scientifically deduced that our very bright young people make better decision when they know ALL the facts. The number of teen pregnancies is down slightly in the U.S. because, before Republicans, money was available to research and replicate programs that delayed the onset of sexual activity and reduced the number of unintended pregnancies. It is unconscienable that the gov't shows no respect for science or the young people of this nation on this issue. Any parent should realize that once a young person catches on that the information they have gotten from an adult is skewed or incomplete the level of trust in the relationship is "shot". I've taught school in the public sector for 32 years and am now teaching comprehensive sexuality education in Cols. O, a very conservative environment.

In fact, a large school system in the area has just decided that they want only comprehensive sexuality education in the middle and high schools. Someone has some common sense - a small victory. Sandy

According to the Heritage Foundation, Comprehensive Sex Education receives over $4.50 for every $1.00 Abstinence Education Receives. If our country is all about choice anyway, why not actually GIVE a choice. I do not think it is a waste to ask for more funding simply to equal the scale on a program which encourages youth to reach for their goals, rather than condoms. As an abstinence educator I have seen the results firsthand of challenging youth to be their best. It is not just about sex, it is about their futures. And that is what Abstinence Education helps teens look to. Why demand a program be stopped that helps teens make healthy decisions and encourages them in their future? I just do not understand the backlash.

I find it interesting that the abstinence only approach is referred to as education, when

it is actually about perpetuating ignorance. As a social worker with over 20 years

experience and the mother of two teens, I have no doubt that abstinence is the best

way to prevent teen pregnancy and STI's. However, I also know that it is not a

realistic option for many, if not most, of the kids I see in my office on a daily basis.

If a child has never seen a happy marriage, it is unrealistic for them to aspire to

abstain until marriage. When I see middle school students who have already had

multiple sex partners, am I not ethically bound to teach them how to protect themselves?

When every movie, song, and TV show teenagers see promotes casual sex, how can we

afford not to teach them all sides of the story? Most sexually active teens already

know that they are not supposed to be "doing it." However, "doing it" they are, and in

alarming numbers starting at ever younger ages. In the case of personal health, sexual

or otherwise, ignorance is not bliss. Comprehensive sex education (which, incidently,

does present abstinence as the healthiest choice) is not delivering a mixed message.

It is an attempt to reach a mixed audience.

I do not believe that you can call an abstinence only program "education". It is a promotion of ignorance. People make their best choices when they are well informed about the consequences of their actions. I work with youth and I am a parent. Almost 100 percent: The young people I know who make the most "mature" and "safe" decisions about their body are well informed. The young people I see who already have multiple sexual partners, and/or sexually transmitted diseases, and/or pregnancy are often uninformed and, I believe, neglected by the family members who should be looking out for them the most. I ABSOLUTELY believe that abstinence is the only way to go for a young person who has not reached the maturity and life experience to make healthy life choices (you decide what age that is--some people never reach it in my opinion). As a parent one needs to make sure that their kids are not only well-informed, so no one can "pull the wool over their eyes" and take advantage of them, but the parent needs to make it clear what the expectations concerning abstinence are for their child (whether you have religious/moral convictions or just plain safety concerns). AND you best back all that up with personal involvement, time, and lots of hard work showing your kids how much they are loved and how much you care about them. As educators and healthcare providers when working with youth the religious/moral convictions are not your place to address specifically (actions and role-modeling can speak pretty clearly anyway), but you best give out the facts. ALL the facts. Not some water-downed version of half truths. We would never allow a health care provider to only provide a cancer patient half of the facts when making a decision about treatment options. And again, because we live in a country of the right to choice, if you don't agree with a comprehensive family life program keep your kids out of the class. By not having a program in place that provides all the facts, ME and MY kids are denied a choice for education. I will say that my kids are well-educated and informed because I have made sure they are, but I also think that other professionals providing information to them helps to reinforce their learning. I don't want to hear the argument about YOUR tax dollars because it's OUR tax dollars once it's in the pot, and because we will never have unanimous agreement on how tax money is spent we have to trust those in charge (remember, that's why you vote to elect guardians of that sort of thing).

Abstinence-only programs are a joke, conclusively proven ineffective by research, a squandering of taxpayer dollars, and an arrogant effort to control the behavior of others that is not the state's business. Compared with the past, people now experience (1) earlier onset of puberty, (2) longer educational and occupational preparatory periods before settling down to marriage, often 10, 15 or more years after sexual maturation, (3) the increasingly selected option not to marry at all, and (4) a wide diversity of moral beliefs about human sexuality as part of a heterogeneous society. How dare these myopic, self-righteous, pompous political fools withhold pregnancy and STD preventing information from other human beings with rights to make their own choices in their own lives?!! And these are the same morons who then oppose abortion after withholding birth control knowledge!

It drives me crazy to read that Bush wants to double the Abstinence Only funding after just doing a research paper on teen pregnancy.

I am a senior in high school and am very aware of the number of students at my school that are sexually active but the majority practice safe sex.

Not making comprehensive sex education available for the teenagers of tomorrow is ridiculous. The more educated children are, the wiser their decisions. They must know that condoms can prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Teach them about safe sex, they will listen. Preach at them about abstinence... they will sleep around behind your back.

Promotion of abstinence-only education is just another way for right-wing christian conservatives to create the world in their image. It is influenced by religious beliefs about sex and marriage, one that has shown itself not to hold in the real world. Giving minors no other option is an attempt to influence their belief system. Research has shown it does not prevent teen pregnancies, whereas open communication about sex and education about birth control helps moreso. But, once again, close your ears Bush and ignore reason. It seems to be his track record for the past four years.

The old myth that "Ignorance is Bliss" is just that a myth.Actually ignorance has nothing to do with happines it is a breeding ground for all types of unhappiness. Have you ever said to yourself "If only I had known that beforehand I would have acted differently."? If so then you can understand what a mistake it is to keep our children in the dark about sex. If you are a parent you know that telling your kids not to do something is a sure way of getting them to do it. Abstinence doesn't work because children are naturally curious and the inborn need to know combined with hormones is a time bomb waiting to go off if the fuse is lighted. Sex education is a necessity in this world filled with myths and misinformation. It is better to give them the correct information than to have some other child pass on a myth that will only get them in trouble.