Abstinence-Only Sexual Education

Just Say No
In a society where we tell children they can be anything they want to be, why is it that being a virgin when they marry seems so farfetched? In a culture that boasts that you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it, why is it that abstaining from sex and sexual acts seems too lofty of a goal? The ambivalent attitude towards Abstinence Only Sexual Education mostly stems from lack of knowledge of the history and what the program consist of, how it differs from its main opponent the comprehensive sexual education programs, and lack of support from parents and educators.
In 1892 The National Education Association set into motion a curriculum for “moral education in schools” and in 1913 the first sex education program was

National Center for Health Statistics roughly 40% or 4.3 billion teenagers between the ages of 13-19 are having vaginal intercourse and adolescents make up nearly half of the 20 million new cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) every year. Abstinence Only programs seek to cut that number drastically by providing “education about the social, psychological, and health-related benefits of abstinence from sexual activity” (CITATITON FROM WELFARE REFORM ACT OF 1996) Focus on the Family states “From tobacco,…, drug use to fighting, gun use and drunk driving, the prevailing message is ‘Don’t do it’- avoid or eliminate the risk, But when it comes to sex…the message is ‘ Use condoms to reduce your risk…’” Abstinence Only programs also got a huge boost from an unlikely source…Punk Rock Music. In 1980 the band Minor Threat penned a song called “Straight Edge” which sparked a movement of the same name. A kin to abstinence only ideology Straight Edge calls for an end of the risky behavior drugs, alcohol and non-monogamous sex produces. Through music and lifestyle choices Straight Edge continues to champion the Abstinence Only mind set to disenfranchised and disillusioned youths to this very

Comprehensive sexuality education programs or sometimes called “abstinence-plus” programs teach from the perspective that all teens have had or will soon have sex. With that belief in mind heavy emphasis is put on contraceptive use, “condom negotiation”, and Birth Control. In 2001 supporters of Comprehensive Sexual Education/Abstinence Plus introduced a potential piece of legislature called the REAL act ( Responsible Education About Life). Definition points in the REAL act would like for all sexual education curriculum to be accurate about the information given such as side affects of contraceptives and barrier methods of Birth Control and that the information is age appropriate as well. Similar to Abstinence Only programs the REAL act puts emphasis on the parents role in educations and encourages an open dialog between parent and child. The REAL act also states that it wants to “ Teach young people skills to make responsible decisions themselves . It goes on to state , rather poorly, that it plans on doing this by teaching “How to avoid unwanted verbal,physical, and sexual advances.” It goes on to declare that it also plans on teaching how to avoid making the unwanted advances mentioned previously. Abortions and adoption options are also in the planned curriculum. This currently this proposition has 107 sponsors in the House of Representatives and 18 sponsors in the