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Chastity Is The Ideal, But School Sex Ed Must Recognize Reality

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 2, 2008

With more states declining an abstinence-only approach to sex education, Florida remains a big promoter of abstinence education, even as new studies show the emphasis is failing to keep many kids from having sex.

Florida isn't wrong to make abstinence outside of marriage the "expected standard" in sex education. Teen sex rates were on the decline for a decade before hitting a plateau in 2001, and the message of abstinence - whether it comes from parents, teachers or peers - deserves some credit.

But a recent federally mandated study shows that middle-school students who attended abstinence-only classes were just as likely to have sex as those who did not. Half had sex by age 15, a rate that held for students who attended abstinence classes and those who didn't.

At the same time, the teen birthrate rose last year for the first time in 15 years. Also, the rate of sexually transmitted diseases has grown unacceptably high, with half of new infections occurring in people aged 15 to 24.

Given that abstinence programs are no longer dissuading more teens from having sex, schools should adopt a more measured approach.

Yes, teens need to hear that it's OK - indeed, it's proper - to postpone sex until they are much older, no matter the message our culture sends about early sexual activity. But in case they succumb, they also need to know how to protect themselves.

Most parents want a balanced curriculum in sex-education classes. A Kaiser Foundation survey found 65 percent of parents believe sex education should encourage young people to delay sexual activity, but also prepare them to use birth control and practice safe sex once they become sexually active.

Florida administers its abstinence programs through the state Department of Health, passing some federal dollars to groups that promote abstinence education or support the state's Web site, www.greattowait.com.
Florida school districts are given substantial leeway in deciding what to present in sex education programs. And while some counties continue to teach abstinence only, most districts are moving toward a more complete curriculum.

In Hillsborough County, educators have struck the right balance of promoting abstinence while also providing information about contraceptives. The one drawback is that teachers are given latitude to invite sex-education speakers into their classes, creating a potential for inconsistency in the message.

While Americans are finding common ground on sex education, our nation's insistence on abstinence-only education in global AIDS-prevention programs is impractical. Under President Bush's five-year global HIV/AIDS prevention strategy, one-third of the allocated $3 billion is dedicated to abstinence education.

Yet in some Third World countries, young girls don't have the option of saying no. It's not uncommon for men to think they can rid themselves of HIV by having sex with virgins, so they force young girls into sexual relations. Justice demands these girls be taught how to protect themselves.

Given what we've learned about abstinence-only programs, a change is in order for sex-education curriculum and the policies of global AIDS-prevention programs.

We risk our future if we fail to give our children the information they need to protect their lives.

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