Does Abstinence-Only Sex Education Work? - Page 3

aephi alum · #31 07-28-2003, 07:17 PM

Like a lot of you, I disagree with abstinence-only programs. I don't mind the idea of teaching that abstinence is the best way to avoid STDs and unwanted pregnancy - it is the only 100% effective method. But the fact is, teens are going to have sex, and they have to know how to protect themselves and their partners.

Sex education was a part of my middle and high school's health curriculum; you had to take a semester of health in each of 8th, 9th, and 11th grades. I don't think parents could opt their kids out of the sex ed part.

I'm saddened, but not particularly surprised, that the Bush administration is increasing funding to abstinence-only programs. Gotta love the religious right.

swissmiss04 · #32 07-28-2003, 07:19 PM

No doubt. I went to a public high school in a medium sized city. I can't even remember how many girls ended up pregnant during my 4 years in h.s. According to my younger sister, it only got worse the next 3 years. People (guys and girls) that I thought were highly intelligent and fairly moral people were having/fathering kids left and right. Our "sex ed" was a 30 minute video on STDs. We learned nothing about condoms, birth control, etc. Basically abstinence was stressed. A lot of schools in the Bible Belt are wary of discussing sex and stuff like that so they just say "don't do it." Needless to say that didn't work too well. Thanks to my parents being intelligent people, I knew all I needed to know looooong before I needed it.

But not everyone was so lucky. It's a fine line to walk but it needs to be walked if we're going to stop babies from having babies.

crystalline · #33 07-28-2003, 08:20 PM

I think it's rediculous the lengths that the Bush administration is going to shove their religious beliefs down the throats of the general public. Abstinence was 95% of the sex ed program taught in my high school, and there were quite a lot of people I knew who had to drop out because they got pregnant, they didn't know the proper info about birth control. Now maybe they wouldn't have bothered with it regardless of the type of sex ed they received, but I'd rather they be equipped with the proper knowledge of such things.

Rudey · #34 07-28-2003, 10:29 PM

All I know is that one of the more traumatic experiences for me was a girl who decided she wanted to wait because of some church program. You want to teach abstinence? Fine, but do it in a region of the country I will never be in.

-Rudey
--I should have boned her and asked "What Would Jesus Do?" in the middle of it.

sugar and spice · #35 07-29-2003, 03:12 AM

I'm surprised that there are so many GCers against abstinence-only -- I was imagining there would be a little bit more dissent. But I won't complain.

I think abstinence-only is ridiculous. It plays a role in so many problems, not just kids not using birth control because the abstinence-only pushers told them that condoms aren't very effective . . . but in perpetuating the sexual double standard, pushing shame on girls who are sexual, making other women afraid of their sexuality, encouraging people to marry too young.

We had sex ed in fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth grades. It was all mandatory, and although I assume parents could opt to take their kids out, I don't ever remember having any kids in my classes that were pulled out for that reason. In fourth grade, they started with the really basic, simple stuff ("this is how babies are made" and "this is what happens when you get your period" -- and classes were sex-segregated) . . . and it wasn't until eighth or ninth grade that we got into the STDs/birth control/other issues. We were taught that abstinence is the best choice but we learned all about methods of birth control too.

lovelyivy84 · #36 07-29-2003, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KappaKittyCat
Health class in college?

Nope, not health class. Freshman year orientation. Seminar that all freshmen had to attend.

DWAlphaGam · #37 07-29-2003, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sugar and spice
I'm surprised that there are so many GCers against abstinence-only -- I was imagining there would be a little bit more dissent. But I won't complain.

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised, too. But, we're all fairly forward-thinking, educated people here, so I guess it makes sense.

My sex-ed classes were mandatory, and I don't remember anyone opting out of them (although I'm sure they could have). Similar to most of your classes, we had the "how our bodies work/where babies come from" classes in 5th or 6th grade, we went a little more in-depth in 8th grade, got into birth control/STDs in 10th grade, and had the "let's scare the crap out of them by showing them 'The Miracle of Life' video" class in 12th grade. All of my classes were single-gender until 12th grade.

As far as parents talking to their kids, I agree that they should definitely do that, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. My family is very open, and being the daughter of a teenage mother, I was taught very early on that I should be careful so that I wouldn't be put in the same situation as her. My grandmother actually sat me and my cousins down when were were between about 9-7 and lectured us about not getting pregnant, etc. (Of course, this had no effect on my cousins, who all had been pregnant or had kids by the time they were 18.

) My boyfriend, on the other hand, comes from a fairly traditional family, and he thinks his mom won't think he's having sex even after he's married. We've been together for 5 years and she still thinks he's a virgin. (Although this approach can work, too, because he's so terrified of his mom finding out that we have sex that he is careful to the point of being paranoid.

)

crystalline · #38 07-29-2003, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey

--I should have boned her and asked "What Would Jesus Do?" in the middle of it.

KappaKittyCat · #39 07-29-2003, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey
--I should have boned her and asked "What Would Jesus Do?" in the middle of it.

Rudey, you're always a little over-the-top with the snark, and I keep my mouth shut because I know that you're doing it just to get a rise out of people. I'm going to break that rule and say something this time because joking about raping someone is not at all funny. I'm actually rather offended.

Rudey · #40 07-29-2003, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KappaKittyCat
Rudey, you're always a little over-the-top with the snark, and I keep my mouth shut because I know that you're doing it just to get a rise out of people. I'm going to break that rule and say something this time because joking about raping someone is not at all funny. I'm actually rather offended.

I do not see mention of rape. In fact I don't do anything to get a rise out of people.

-Rudey
--I don't want any part of that feminist crap your spewing.

swissmiss04 · #41 07-29-2003, 10:01 PM

Anycrap...

I had a friend who went off to some fundie Christian university in Arkansas (no offense to anyone from Arkansas, like I have room to talk) and was absolutely miserable. Men and women weren't allowed in the pool at the same time (there were times for guys and times for girls). Women weren't allowed to wear shorts before 2 pm (but they could wear skirts up to their

). And they pushed marriage like you wouldn't believe. Half of her friends got married at the end of their freshman year, for the sole purpose of being able to have sex w/o going to hell. Unfortunately they didn't realize that sex is more than just 2 warm bodies together and none of these women have found satisfaction. They married people they barely knew because they were so misinformed about sex and all that goes with it. If I ever have kids I will make sure that they are never that ignorant.

Rudey · #42 07-29-2003, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by swissmiss04
Anycrap...
I had a friend who went off to some fundie Christian university in Arkansas (no offense to anyone from Arkansas, like I have room to talk) and was absolutely miserable. Men and women weren't allowed in the pool at the same time (there were times for guys and times for girls). Women weren't allowed to wear shorts before 2 pm (but they could wear skirts up to their ). And they pushed marriage like you wouldn't believe. Half of her friends got married at the end of their freshman year, for the sole purpose of being able to have sex w/o going to hell. Unfortunately they didn't realize that sex is more than just 2 warm bodies together and none of these women have found satisfaction. They married people they barely knew because they were so misinformed about sex and all that goes with it. If I ever have kids I will make sure that they are never that ignorant.

It's ignorant to be religious?

-Rudey

KappaKittyCat · #43 07-30-2003, 12:02 AM

Rudey,

Girl wanted to wait.

You talk about "boning her" anyway.

Sounds like rape to me.

And yes, dear, I am a feminist. Thank you for asking.

adduncan · #44 07-30-2003, 12:29 AM

<hijak>

I'm a little disappointed at some of the comments. It's one thing to disagree with the perspective of a sex-ed program.

It's quite another to start a Let's Bash People Committed to Christianity Party.

If it were any other religion, "tolerance" would be the buzzword.

Before anyone says, "Oh, now wait, we're not bashing any religion!" go back and look at your comments again and pretend that *you* practice the faith you're criticizing. (Especially Rudey--I agree with KappyKittyCat that you aluded to rape in your post, whether you admit it or not.)

Is it at all possible to discuss or disagree w/ a POV on a sensitive topic without leaning into religious bigotry?

</hijak>

Adrienne (PNAM-2003)

kappaloo · #45 07-30-2003, 01:38 AM

I think abstinence is a good idea. Really. I agree that it should be a fundemental part of health education.