Students who took part in sexual abstinence programs were just as likely to have sex as those who did not...
Technically, doesn't that mean they're NOT taking part in an abstinence program?
One or two abstinence classes won't work. But if parents expect abstinence, and teachers expect abstinence, and the social environment generally expects abstinence, then most children will abstain. I think it's the expectations that matter, not the presence or absence of one or two abstinence "classes." There were no formal abstinence classes at my school, but there were strong expectations.
Well said.
I find it sad that certian segments of society preach unrealistic values that contradict one of the main driving points of human nature. They then wonder why little Jenny got herpes, or pregnant, or both.
If you said it was unrealistic to expect a few abstinence classes to have much impact, I might agree with you. But to say the values themselves are unrealistic? Lust, stealing, hatred, greed; all "main driving points of human nature." Which she would stop telling children not to indulge in? Even if we teach safe-sex methods, it would be utterly uncaring not to tell children they can avoid such dangers by abstinence. But maybe it is not so unrealistic to expect abstinence, especially for little Jenny. Countless multitudes of women have been virgin brides. It's less common in our current culture, sure, but it's not unrealistic. As HTG pointed out, a few classes will make little difference. Real cultural change is needed.
Also, as Eleven Mike stated, this story means little without comparison to other studies and other programs.
While I don't remember exactly which things were taught when I went through sex-ed, I do remember it being more or less comprehensive, as MattC's, covering both abstinence and prophylactics at least to some degree. As has been said, a class here or there isn't going to make much of a difference. I think values taught by parents, religion, and cultural attitudes have a much more extensive influence over resulting behavior.
It is against my religious values to engage in pre-marital sexual activity of any kind, and thus I do not. Were I not brought up with those values in the home, nor had them reinforced by my religion, I can't honestly say one way or the other that the couple of sex-ed classes I had in school would have had any effect on whether or not I chose abstinence. But I do think that if I had not grown up with those values, and my sex-ed classes were also silent on the subject of abstinence, I most likely would not have considered it an option on my own.
Fistful and HTG are right, real cultural change is needed for there to be a significant change in behavior. Cultural, familial, and social expectations have the biggest impact. That said, abstinence-education is still important. How many youngsters would not even ever see abstinence as an option if it were never presented as a viable one in school? Think about the culture many grow up with (*cough*gangstarap*cough*) where gettin' it on is the subject of almost all of the music they hear; sex is constantly being thrown at them in "music," TV, movies, everywhere. No wonder so many 14 year-olds are sexually active. They've learned that if they're not having sex, they must be losers.
The problem with abstinence-only education is that only works until it doesn't...once.
Then it's too late. If they weren't taught safe sex, the chances of a teenage mom are much higher.
I agree, that's why I think a comprehensive approach is the best. But safe-sex-only education is limiting their choices. Abstinence education certainly is no guarantee; but it's exposing them to an alternative, to a choice that maybe they would never have considered otherwise.