Originally posted by PlatoSVT:

I'm trying to support Bush, although I didn't vote for him, but to me, this "abstinence only" education (and an INCREDIBLY pricey one at that) is just absurd. Kids aren't going to not have sex based on facts and fear. If Bush wants kids to follow his morals, he better start teaching them morals, judgement skills, and to think for themselves. They are going about this in an entirely wrong direction, IMHO, of course.



Actually, the Nov 2004 CDC data suggest we may be going in the right direction http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r041115.htm with the lowest teen pregnancy rate in recent history. Not saying the new emphasis on abstainence is soley responsible (as trends started in early 90s but continue today) but looks like it is not hurting. I really do not think that Bush's initiative eliminates the teaching of so called safe sex but basically shifts the primary focus. Frankly, I think alot of kids were mislead in the other direction..that condoms, etc were better than they were and oral sex (a pretty reasonable way to avoid pregnancy but pretty useful at spreading HIV and other STDs) was played up...certainly Bill Clinton's timely "I did not not regard that as sex" was widely quoted by smart ass kids.

Other points..the YEARLY condom failure rate (per CDC) is 15%..which leads by 4 years to a 48% chance of pregnancy with average (whatever that is) frequency. These are not great odds of avoiding pregnancy and similar risks (though lower overall) apply to HIV transmission. Recently released data on HIV transmission in gay men is sobering as well. Despite INTENSIVE, 100's of millions of dollars in safe sex education/programs/etc (NOT ABSTAINENCE education..virtually nil), the (per capita) rate of NEW HIV infections in this target population increased by 11% from 2000 to 2004. Cited was a "fatigue" in condom use (basically got tired of it) along with increased "over-confidence" in our ability to treat the disease. So while a focus on abstainence was not studied, we can say a focus on safe sex largely FAILED in this population..much to the utter disbelief/chagrin of some key thought leaders in the field.

I certainly think safe sex education has a place but a renewed emphasis on abstainence (as opposed to saying as an afterthought "BTW, not having sex is best") IMO seems a reasonable thing to try. Sounds like some facts being taught were incorrect but that is fixable.




1999 Amazon Green SVT Contour (#554/2760) "People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." -Soren Kierkegaard (as posted by Jato)