stdtexas3e

I wonder if Mrs. Unruh has seen this flowchart?

Texas currently has the third-highest teen birth rate in the country and “the highest rate of repeat teen births.” It also leads the nation in the amount of government money it spends on abstinence-only education. But some school districts in the state are now shifting away from that approach, admitting that it isn’t working:

“We mainly did it because of our pregnancy rate,” said Whitney Self, lead teacher for health and physical education at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. “We don’t think abstinence-only is working.” […]

Both approaches to sex education teach that refraining from sexual activity is the safest choice for teens.

But abstinence-only gives limited information about contraceptives and condoms and tends to downplay their effectiveness, while abstinence-plus stresses the importance of using such protection if teens are sexually active.

Medical experts have stated concluded that not only do abstinence-only programs not curb teen pregnancy, but “there is evidence to suggest that some of these programs are even harmful and have negative consequences by not providing adequate information for those teens who do become sexually active.”

8 Thoughts on “Texas schools move away from abstinence-only education: We don’t think it’s working. (H/T – Helga)

  1. I predict the following response from the Unruh followers: “You can’t trust statistics! Those government agencies are all lying! The liberal media just twists numbers to persecute us!”

    Darned statistics.

  2. Ghost of Dude on September 29, 2009 at 9:42 am said:

    Hormones are infinitely more powerful than shame.

  3. That’s what Bill Clinton said.

  4. In every study I have ever read on the subject, abstinence-only education programs have failed. They consistently result in higher rates of STDs and higher rates of pregnancy.

    It isn’t just hit or miss either – it is consistent no matter where it is tried or who pushes for it. It can be the most liberal part of the nation or a school ran by Catholic nuns…the end result is always the same.

    Thus, I have no problem stating abstinence only education programs have a 100% failure rate.

  5. Ghost of Dude on September 29, 2009 at 12:11 pm said:

    Thus, I have no problem stating abstinence only education programs have a 100% failure rate.

    Yeah, but sex is dirty and we shouldn’t tell kids about it.

  6. I’m 37 years old, and I remember having my first sex-ed class in 4th grade. 4th GRADE! and it was comprehensive. Have we gone backwards in sex ed over the past 20 years? I think so.

  7. Ghost of Dude on September 30, 2009 at 3:52 pm said:

    Our first sex ed class was in 5th grade. The DARE officer had to teach the boys class because no men actually worked at the school.

  8. Steve Olson on September 13, 2010 at 8:10 pm said:

    They didn’t have sex ed in Hayti when I went to school. I was so stupid I used to go behind the barn and do nothing.

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