Politics Abstinence Course Faulty

[SydneyAnneVaughn]

i personally think abstinence programs don't work because, just like anything else, if you tell kids not to do something they'll do it anyway. the more you push them to stay away from something, the more they desire to do it to find out why it's so taboo. luckily for some of us, we have the sense to stay away from things we're supposed to because we know how bad it can be.

however, i've seen that abstinence-only programs don't work firsthand. all the kids at my juniour high were involved in a Teen Outreach Program that was a mandatory part of our course curriculum (approved by GWB, of course) that taught the joys of abstinence. by the time those 8th graders became year 2's in highschool, quite a percentage of them were pregnant or had become sexually active since taking the course. what we need to do is educate our teens on how to protect themselves properly from disease instead of letting them be ignorant and saying "using a condom is like playing Russian Roulette with your life!"

 

[sugababyboo]

Just thought I'd post this..

Government, abstinence-only program agree to wait
Funds cut until Silver Ring Thing shows it's not pushing faith

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- The federal government agreed to stop funding a nationwide program that promotes teen abstinence to settle a lawsuit alleging the money was used for Christian proselytizing.
The agreement was reached Wednesday between the Department of Health and Human Services and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Under the deal, the Silver Ring Thing program won't be eligible for more funding unless it ensures the money won't be used for religious purposes.
"Public funds were being used to fund a road show, really, to convert teens to Christianity," said Julie Sternberg, an ACLU attorney.

She said the ACLU supports the program's right to offer religious content, but not with taxpayer money.
Joel Oster of the Alliance Defense Fund, which represented the program in court, said it was "pleased that abstinence-based sex education programs like Silver Ring Thing will continue to have the right to seek federal funding."

The Alliance Defense Fund's Web site describes it as "a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation."
Elsewhere on the site, it describes itself as "Christ-centered," saying "We rely solely upon God's redemptive grace for our existence, our vision, and our sustenance, trusting in His sovereignty as we seek to convey hope to all we serve."

The Silver Ring Thing program, related to a Christian ministry based in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has received more than $1 million in federal funding during the past three years.
The program puts on shows at churches that include comedy skits, music videos and a message of abstinence. Young people are given a silver ring and decide whether they want to pledge to abstain from sex.

In its federal lawsuit in May, the ACLU complained that the ring was inscribed with a Biblical verse exhorting Christians to remain holy and refrain from sexual sin. It also alleged that group members testified how accepting Jesus improved their lives.


An attorney for the organization has said teens can chose between religious or secular programs and that the program's religious teachings have taken place separately from anything the government funds.
The government terminated the grant effective January 31. A call to an HHS spokesman Thursday was not immediately returned.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[SydneyAnneVaughn]

all i can say is: it's about time. we need to stop using taxpayers' mone to fund religiously-based programs that are being presented to kids in school.

 

[Jamison]

I saw that article the other time. All I can say is that it's about time.

 

[Lemon-Krumpitz]

Someone came in today for my Health class (and she's going to be coming in tomorrow and the next day) and talked about abortion, teenage pregnancy, and STD's. It took all 50 minutes of our class but she could've basically came in and said "Sex is bad until you're married, girls who get abortions are filthy, disgusting human beings, and stay abstinent. SEX KILLS!"

Maybe I'm exagerrating a little but it made me mad. The facts she used were from some site called thinkitover.org which is part of the Ohio Abstinence Campaign so of course everything she told us is biased in one way or another.

I have nothing againest abstinence but teenagers should also be told about how to protect themselves. Not just having some girl come in and tell them that if they have sex before they're married they'll get an STD and die. It's like she was trying to scare into not having sex. -_-

Oh and some interesting facts I learned...

Getting an abortion increases your chances of getting breast cancer!

BS

Most teenagers will have had 3-4 sexual partners during Highschool

Haha. They're joking.... right?

Sorry. Angry right now. I just need to vent

 

[Jamison]

Someone came in today for my Health class (and she's going to be coming in tomorrow and the next day) and talked about abortion, teenage pregnancy, and STD's. It took all 50 minutes of our class but she could've basically came in and said "Sex is bad until you're married, girls who get abortions are filthy, disgusting human beings, and stay abstinent. SEX KILLS!"

Maybe I'm exagerrating a little but it made me mad. The facts she used were from some site called thinkitover.org which is part of the Ohio Abstinence Campaign so of course everything she told us is biased in one way or another.

I have nothing againest abstinence but teenagers should also be told about how to protect themselves. Not just having some girl come in and tell them that if they have sex before they're married they'll get an STD and die. It's like she was trying to scare into not having sex. -_-

Oh and some interesting facts I learned...
BS
Haha. They're joking.... right?

Sorry. Angry right now. I just need to vent

I know exactly where you're coming from. I had those same scare tactics used on me in my health classes...bottom line is they don't work...and they're so stupid they're almost laughable.

 

[SydneyAnneVaughn]

I know exactly where you're coming from. I had those same scare tactics used on me in my health classes...bottom line is they don't work...and they're so stupid they're almost laughable.

in my program, they pretty much scared us by telling us how much it costs to have a baby. it was something like $1500 before the child's even born, so quite a few of us felt a little more compelled to abstain. but also, we got these little "Abstinence Till Marriage (ATM)" cards that we could only get if we signed a pledge to abstain. needless to say, half the kids in my class were unimpressed and didn't sign.

 

[shotput25ash]

I read through this last night, and by the time I was finished I was exhausted. So, now I can't find the exact quote that I wanted to use, but I think this one will work.

I think we deserve to get more than one side of the issue in school. We shouldn't just be taught to abstain because members of the government feel that's what's best for us. I'd like to think that most of us are mature enough to know what's best for ourselves and our bodies, and be able to handle being taught forms of contraception.

I couldn't agree more.

It was kind of a reality slap when I was in health class this year. Before, since I went to a Private, Catholic, school, their form of 'sex ed' was taught from a book called Family Life - which was first introduced in 5th grade, and then through 8th. The boys and girls were taken into seperate rooms so we'd feel more 'comfortable' with the subject, and then basically told flat out 'this is what a penis is. this is what a vagina is. this is how they work.' and then, since this was the kind of school where we got to walk down to church every Wednesday morning for Mass, the 'and God doesnt want you to have sex before you're married. Dont do it. It's bad.' was thrown in there too.

And throughout the next three years we were basically just re-educated on the basics, with drug and alcohol abuse thrown in there. We were taught that birthcontrol was frowned apon, that abortions arent a 'good' thing, etc.

I had my own opinions on both issues - which I'm not going to get into - but, I still find it ironic that there are a lot of devote Catholics that I know of, I mean, the kind that say a prayer before every meal, go to church sometimes more than twice a week, have mandatory confession, etc., who are on Birth Control to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. So, just becuase 'God' doesnt want that, its not okay?

This year, we're getting taught more indepth, although still being told to abstain from sex until marriage. Now, its more along the lines of learning how STD's are contracted, how the only surefire way not to get pregnant is to not have sex at all, but if we do decide to participate in sexual activity, to at least be safe with it - which we then get informed on forms of contraception. Also, my Health teacher made it a point of mentioning the fact that every girl should be taking a multi-vitamin if she's sexually active, for some reason or another that if you dont have the right vitamins if you accidently get pregnant - yata yata - its expensive to take care of a baby at any age, but its even more expensive to take care of a baby that has a disability.

I really like that my school - or at least, my teacher - can understand the reality of how we might take the whole Lesson on 'sex ed'. I think its better to know how to protect yourself, than to just go around assuming that all the rumors and stories and whatnot that you hear are true.


But then again, that could just be because I go to a privately funded school.

 

[ParadiseKendra]

Abstinence is NEVER going to happen. Nor should it. You shouldn't marry someone without knowing if you two mesh sexuality, geez. So promoting abstinence ONLY is one of the stupidist things ever.

Besides, even with all the STDs and risks, sex is a part of life, and we need to take healthy risks. We can't hide and be afraid all our lives. And believe me, if you wait till marriage, you can still get STDs from that person.

 

[Jamison]

Abstinence is NEVER going to happen. Nor should it. You shouldn't marry someone without knowing if you two mesh sexuality, geez. So promoting abstinence ONLY is one of the stupidist things ever.

Besides, even with all the STDs and risks, sex is a part of life, and we need to take healthy risks. We can't hide and be afraid all our lives. And believe me, if you wait till marriage, you can still get STDs from that person.

I kind of agree, but then again I don't. There are a lot of couples out there who do abstain from sex until marriage, and they go on to have very successful and happy marriages, because that was the right choice for them. Then there are others who don't abstain, and that works out the best for them. While sex is an important part in a relationship, it isn't everything. If you and your partner have a real connection, you can always tweak things in the bedroom to make things better for the both of you. But now I'm starting to sound like Sue Johanson.

But I do agree that promoting abstinence only is stupid. While there will certainly be people who abstain, there are going to be others who don't. The ones who don't deserve to be educated in ways to protect themselves. It isn't appropriate for schools to take an abstience only stance. In fact, it's quite irresponsible. Especially when you look up and down the halls of any high school in the US and see pregnant teenagers. Obviously the abstinence only thing isn't working.

Sex certainly is a part of life. But it should be an individual's choice as to whether that part of their life begins before or after marriage.

 

[ParadiseKendra]

I kind of agree, but then again I don't. There are a lot of couples out there who do abstain from sex until marriage, and they go on to have very successful and happy marriages, because that was the right choice for them. Then there are others who don't abstain, and that works out the best for them. While sex is an important part in a relationship, it isn't everything. If you and your partner have a real connection, you can always tweak things in the bedroom to make things better for the both of you. But now I'm starting to sound like Sue Johanson.

But I do agree that promoting abstinence only is stupid. While there will certainly be people who abstain, there are going to be others who don't. The ones who don't deserve to be educated in ways to protect themselves. It isn't appropriate for schools to take an abstience only stance. In fact, it's quite irresponsible. Especially when you look up and down the halls of any high school in the US and see pregnant teenagers. Obviously the abstinence only thing isn't working.

Sex certainly is a part of life. But it should be an individual's choice as to whether that part of their life begins before or after marriage.

You are right, lemme rephrase!!! Sex is not everything, it shouldn't be the most important part of a relationship, and yes, if you both choose to not have sex until marriage, fine. But it's not a way of life for everyone. And it shouldn't be.

Sex in this country is way too important, you're viewed negatively if you do and if you DON'T have it. So I don't think it should be the most important thing in a relationship, but abstinence is never going to work.

 

[sugababyboo]

It's not just teens who are ignorant about contraception......

STDs Running Rampant In Retirement Community

Sat May 27, 2:13 AM ET

Doctors said sexually transmitted diseases among senior citizens are running rampant at a popular Central Florida retirement community, according to a Local 6 News report.

A gynecologist at The Villages community near Orlando, Fla., said she treats more cases of herpes and the human papilloma virus in the retirement community than she did in the city of Miami.

"Yeah, they are very shocked (to hear the diagnosis)," gynecologist Dr. Colleen McQuade said. "I had a patient in her 80s."

"More and more senior citizens are ending up in the gynecologist office, and their diagnosis is a sexually transmitted disease," Local 6 reporter Vanessa Medina said.

Local 6 featured Louis Franklin, who used to date in the community at least three times a week.

"I have had a better dating life since I have been here than I have ever had," Franklin said. "I know there are things going around."

A doctor blamed Viagra, a lack of sex education and no risk for pregnancy for the spike in sexually transmitted diseases at The Villages.

"All I can repeat are the things I have heard which are things like, 'Should I bring the little blue pills over tonight?'" community singles group president Richard Matwyshen said.

 

[€ > $]

bush should follow absinence