After listening to the abstinence-only show today, it appears to me that once again, we are focusing on developing programs in response to controversial details rather than based on a sound, overall approach.

"Sex" education could be more effectively taught in a well rounded curiculum focusing on health, beginning in kindergarten.  We all have bodies, we all are curious about them and part of a good public education should include factual information and understanding regarding ourselves and our health.  If a program was develooped to focus on health and healthy lifestyles rather than brief segments focusing on the current controversy of the moment, we would have a healthier population and a strong basis for approaching sexual health, regardless of personal or religious beliefs.  Most people could agree that we want our kids to be as healthy as possible!

I am a Home/Hospital Teacher, I teach the students who are to sick to go to regular school, have been safe schooled (caused too much trouble in school) or are pregnant. Last year, I had five 8th graders and all of the girls kept their babies.  This year, I have four young ladies. One 12th grader, a 9th grader, and two 8th graders; all are keeping their babies.  The year is only half completed, I expect more young girls. 

We need to do something!!!!  Education is the key. The societal stigma is not enough. 

Interesting that the abstinence folks always quote the failure rate of the pill or condoms.  Then they say that abstinence is 100% effective.  Yes.  It is.  Only I wonder what the rate of abstinence is.  When abstaining kids get pregnant, or get STDs, they are no longer abstaining.  Seems like the moralists forget to count them.  I guess since they're going to hell for their evil ways, they don't count.

I thought that the program on abstinence only sex ed was very well done.  I did agree with some things that were said, about the need for programs to build communication and relationship skills.  While abstinence is effective while practiced, it needs to be part of an overall comprehensive curriculum.  The suggestion that sex ed be part of a more over-arching general health program (starting at a younger age) seems to me to be an excellent idea.  This could also work to address other issues, like lack of physical exercise poor diets.  Whatever is done, I disapprove of the abstinence-only programs' focus on "saving sex until marriage."  Marriage as an institution is in trouble in a lot of ways in our society, and many people choose to be in long-term, committed relationships for extended periods before marrying, if they ever do.  I am a strong proponent of marriage for the right reasons (and I married at 24), but it is not a panacea.  It is also not something to rush into.  In addition to the education, actual contraception has to be available to these young people.  I am technically an adult (though sometimes I don't feel like one), and there have been several months where my husband and I would not have been able to afford my birth control pills if it had not been for the good prescription coverage provided through my school-subsidized graduate student insurance (as long as they are purchased at the university health center).  I'm not sure how a host of low-income individuals could afford contraception, but I suspect a lot of these young people know what they should be doing and just can't afford it (they also can't afford to have children of there own, which is a whole different problem . . . . ).  Maybe the conversation needs to be extended to the state of our health care system and the affordability of insurance.

Universal Health Insurance should be a goal of our society.  How premiums are paid can be determined by ability to pay, employment status, age, primary disability, dependent or self supportive student, possibly other issues.

Sex education at a tender age should be done without frightening children.  Yet it is imperative youngsters do not reach puberty on the broad assumption "they know what they are doing".  STD's both treatable and lethal are on the rise among our teen age population!

Clearly we need to face reality and act as responsible adult citizens in our shared duties to young people.