A number of American states are aborting their abstinence-only sex-ed agendas:
The number of states refusing federal money for “abstinence-only” sex education programs jumped sharply in the past year as evidence mounted that the approach is ineffective.
At least 14 states have either notified the federal government that they will no longer be requesting the funds or are not expected to apply, forgoing more than $15 million of the $50 million available, officials said. Virginia was the most recent state to opt out.
…
Until this year, only four states had passed up the funding.
Dept. of HHS’s Stan Koutstaal says he’s “concerned” about the rejection and worries that school kids are “missing out”. Even he doesn’t understand sex.
Shaun
seriously… they are just realizing NOW that absinence only programs don’t work?? don’t these right-wing sideshow freaks ever watch Maury?
Meeg
Yey, Virginia! Way to get with the 20th century (yes, I meant to type 20th century).
thatguyfromboston
I know that abstinence never worked for me.
screwer
hello. i am a child and i screw. i also like pie and death rays of doom. :] poopie
Allen
Minnesota is leading the way for this. I’m always amazed how liberal this state can be.
abelincoln
Yeah, the abstinence for sex education funding isn’t going so well in the third world countries either and people are dying because of it.
Isn’t is ironic that the fundies are controlling the funding for the sex education in the countries hit hard by AIDS.
Dawster
this is terrible news for young straight males!!
the best thing that came out of the abstinence programs was the increase in blow jobs and anal sex!! now those “expressions of love” are at risk of being trampled on by… VAGINAL SEX!!
ew!
eagledancer4444
I was on the Board of Directors of SIECUS (the Sexuality Information Education Council of the U.S.), which provides much of the decent sex ed for schools. Research has clearly shown that appropriate sex ed doesn’t encourage early sexual experimentation, but actually delays it.
As a result when a small group of parents and others who don’t want any sex ed taught in the schools, protest sex ed, principals and teachers often request SIECUS to share their data. And SIECUS gladly does.
And you know? Doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Principals, teachers, and scientists love scientific research. Parents and community people who don’t want sex ed in schools don’t care squat about science.
Just so, SIECUS commissioned a study on a meta-analysis on a number of models of moral development (for example, Kohlberg and Maslow). The study found that these models go from a primal level that has a focus on authoritarianism, usually based on a sole source provider. The higher the stages of moral development, the more likely people are to see the usefulness of moving from “bland and white” to shades of gray, where actual contexts are considered, rather than unyielding, strict rules.
As I used to tell my university students–You tend to use an argument that will convince YOU, rather than the argument that will convince people who disagree with you.
And Dawster is quite right about a clear relation of American declines in teenage pregnancy “coupled” with an increase in non-vaginal-penile penetration sexual behaviors.. Kids aren’t doing less sex–just more oral and anal stuff.
todd
They should trade Abstinence Only for Same Sex Only Education!!