Group Blasts Abstinence Message In Schools

(CNSNews.com) - Many schools have adopted an abstinence message as a way to discourage teenagers from engaging in sexual activity, and the Alan Guttmacher Institute isn't happy about it.

"Looking at the evolution of federal, state and local policy, it is clear that abstinence promotion has truly taken hold as a matter of education policy in the United States," said Rachel Gold, deputy director for policy analysis for Planned Parenthood's sister organization, the Guttmacher Institute.

"While this focus on abstinence, in policy and practice, may be the political fashion of the day," said Gold, "recent studies have found that it is far out of step with what parents and teachers believe should be taught and, according to the U.S. surgeon general, is not in line with the weight of the best scientific evidence now available."

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 16 states give local school districts total discretion over whether to teach the topics of abstinence and contraception and how to treat these topics if taught. The remaining 34 states require that abstinence be covered, and 25 of them require that it be stressed. Only 19 states require that contraception be covered at all.

Utah has the most stringent state policy, according to the Guttmacher report, requiring that districts stress abstinence while prohibiting "the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices" and forbidding teachers from responding to student questions in ways that conflict with an abstinence message.

The institute called on state lawmakers to provide greater guidance to teens through sex education policy.

Although nine in ten teachers believe that students should be taught about contraception, according to the institute, one in four say they are instructed not to teach the subject.

Others, however, oppose the idea of teaching about contraceptives and other topics in public schools.

"We wish that Alan Guttmacher Institute and state and federal legislatures would ... let parents be involved in their child's moral education," said Wendy Wright, spokesperson for Concerned Women for America.

"Legislators and schools should see their role as third, [second being] the church and faith-based institutions," said Wright. "The only role that education should have is [teaching] biology. They should not be getting involved in promoting sexual activity among young people."

The Guttmacher Institute also touted the results of an on-going federal survey of adolescent health behavior, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health ("Add Health") conducted in the mid to late 1990s.

After reviewing federal data, the Guttmacher Institute concludes that what influences teens to become sexually active is different from what influences some to engage in other risky behavior, like drugs or violent crime, suggesting that sexual activity should not be considered a risky behavior.

"They are completely in a fantasy world," said Wright, "because obviously teen sexual activity leads to many types of problems, like sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, as well as all the emotional problems young people have when they have bonded to another person in the most intimate way."

"Sexual activity itself is risky behavior," said Wright. "It not only is a cause, it's a symptom of problems that the kids are having. One reason teenagers would be involved in sexual activity is because of other problems that they're having. They're seeking affirmation and affection."

Heather Cirmo, spokesperson for the Family Research Council, agreed.

"The ADD Health Study demonstrates very clearly that parents wield the most influence over their children's behavior choices," said Cirmo.

"Safe sex is a myth that our society has been promoting for way too long at the expense of our young people's emotional and physical health," she added.

"Our nation will experience a decrease in sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS transmission, out-of-wedlock pregnancy and emotional problems when we stop tossing out condoms and start promulgating sound health policy that stresses saving sex for marriage," Cirmo concluded. "When will AGI recognize this?"

Comment "While this focus on abstinence, in policy and practice, may be the political fashion of the day," said Gold, "recent studies have found that it is far out of step with what parents and teachers believe should be taught and, according to the U.S. surgeon general, is not in line with the weight of the best scientific evidence now available."

Recommendation If you feel so strongly about this Ms Gold...why don't you go screw yourself?

I probably just missed it, but where in the article is there any evidence, or a link to any evidence, that abstinence education doesn't work? Where does Guttmacher's Ms. Gold suggest a proven alternative?

Short of these, this is nothing more than sour grapes.

Hmmm... I can see why Planned Parenthood frowns on teaching abstinence in the schools. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together and discover that if young people were counseled to abstain from sex til they were in a committed relationship or married that teen pregnancy rates would plunge dramatically. Like Wow! Which would be bad for PP's abortion business --- and PP's bottom line. No wonder it dreads teens being taught about abstinence and if it could it would like to put a stop to it altogether. PP should really be called Unplanned Parenthood.

Sour grapes. From a co-hort of those who would lose mega-bucks if kids started having the self-respect for themselves in just saying No. There's NO money to be had when teen-agers put into practice the concept of chastity.

The money. Now why didn't CNSNews' Ms. Hall think of that?

I'm way out of my field in trying to piece this together, but it seems I've read that the number of abortions in this country is down. Today kat posts this article that seems to suggest abstinence education is up. Could there be a connection? Hmmmmmmmmmmm?

"The remaining 34 states require that abstinence be covered, and 25 of them require that it be stressed."

WHY, THIS IS A CRIME! This can't be. TWENTY-FIVE STATES REQUIRE THAT ABSTINENCE BE STRESSED! [sarcasm off]

Yeah, we know how concerned PP is about sexually transmitted diseases. Just give those girls some implants, birth control pills, and IUD's and see how often they use condoms to prevent stds. Yeah, right.

Baby-killing is BIG business. Lotsa money to be had by lotsa 'people'.

Public schools have the attitude of situational ethics...there is no right, no wrong, no moral absolutes. If it feels good, do it. ALL the better if you can give a really good excuse for the crappy behaviors.

Teaching kids abstinence, puts a REAL crimp in the above mindset. (and pocketbook of the beneficiaries)

Did you know that kids who get their routine 'baby shots' are ALSO partakers and recipients of the abortion industry? Many of those baby shots are based in aborted baby tissues.

"They are completely in a fantasy world," said Wright, "because obviously teen sexual activity leads to many types of problems, like sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, as well as all the emotional problems young people have when they have bonded to another person in the most intimate way."

I suspect that the "fantasy world" that they are "completely in" would take great issue with....

"It not only is a cause, it's a symptom of problems that the kids are having. One reason teenagers would be involved in sexual activity is because of other problems that they're having. They're seeking affirmation and affection."

.....because it smacks of spirituality....something that neither Planned Parenthood or the Guttmacher Institute would have used in their scientific studies because it isn't scientific.

It is however,real.

God bless

After reviewing federal data, the Guttmacher Institute concludes that what influences teens to become sexually active is different from what influences some to engage in other risky behavior, like drugs or violent crime

He's right. What encourages kids to engage in sexual activity is a school system that tells them adolescent sex is normal and OK. With drugs use, it's straight peer pressure. WIth sex, it's the school administration.

The fact is, adolescent girls need a lot of help saying: "NO." And they're not going to get it from a wink-wink nudge-nudge school system that hands out contraceptives and encourages sexual behavior.

Planned Parenthood has a direct financial interest in teens becoming sexually active. When they do so, they are quite likely to become clients of Planned Parenthood, one way or the other. For this reason, you can be sure that any sex education program done under the auspices of Planned Parenthood will convey the message - either openly or in subtle ways - that it is ok for teens to become sexually active.

Planned Parenthood's sister organization, the Guttmacher Institute.

That's all I need to know about the Guttmacher Institute.

This cannot be stressed enough. In a thread on Wednesday it was referred to as:

the Allan Guttmacher Institute, an independent, nonprofit reproductive-health research center that endorses abortion rights

which is a total lie.

Thanks for posting this. Guttmacher is the research organ for Planned Parenthood. And although abortion figures are down so are the number of young people who would be having them. BIG ABORTION has eliminated 1/3 of an entire generationAp>! Planned Parenthood and Gutmacher promote another lie - safe sex - in our public schools which has led to the shocking numbers of people who are permanently scarred, sometimes left infertile, and ruled out as potential blood donors after contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

Planned Parenthood and Gutmacher promote another lie - safe sex - in our public schools which has led to the shocking numbers of people who are permanently scarred, sometimes left infertile, and ruled out as potential blood donors after contracting a sexually transmitted disease .

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