Bush has spent $200 million each of the last 7 years on federal abstinence programs. Studies now show abstinence program attendants are 60% MORE likely to experience teen pregnancies, STDs, are more likely to be involved in oral and anal sex than those that have attended sex education programs. Is education better than 'just say no'?
Kenneth G
Favorite Answer
Studies can be tilted towards what the people who do the studies want them to be. It is more then just teaching the kids in the schools to say no but it also the parents responsibility to get involved with what the kids are listening to and watching.
k1
Pirate AM™
While there is nothing wrong with teaching abstinence as an effective way of avoiding unwanted pregnancies, we know from the last 5,000 years that people will have sex frequently regardless of the culture's marriage customs. A good education about the subject, including STDs, abortion, birth control, family planning, responsibility etc from both the parents and the school systems is probably the best defense.
Anonymous
Of course education is better than just telling kids "no". At least by telling kids what it is all about and telling how, if they do choose to have sex, they can be safe. A teenager is old enough to be able to make an informed decision, and anyone who has ever been a teenager should know that constantly being told "Don't do that" without a decent reason why is more likely to do it. Education about the risks etc that are involved is the only way to really help.
Hannah J Paul
To tell a teen (or an adult for that matter) to "just say no" is not sufficient, has never been sufficient and never will be sufficient. To illustrate, when young people turn to selling drugs, telling them to just say no to such conduct is wholly inadequate; they see the money they can make. Particularly is this so if they are grindingly poor and can quickly relieve some of this poverty.
The human sexual drive is a powerful thing. To facilitate the satisfying of it by means of sex education does not benefit the teen. Education and abstinence go hand in hand. There will be no true abstinence – either with teens or adults - without the proper education. So a person should be educated, yes. But not educated in how to "safely" enjoy all the sex he wants – which is really what sex education teaches – how to practice sex with impunity and without responsibility. A person should be educated as to the many reasons he should abstain from having sex outside the bonds of marriage and he should be taught the real benefits of such abstinence. Those who have been taught to "just say no" haven't really been taught anything. They certainly have not been taught why – from God's perspective – they should say no. So they don't say no.
Sex education merely teaches one how to "practice" safe sex. Bible education teaches one why he ought to control his sexual urges; the benefits of such; why it is wrong outside the parameters of marriage and why doing things God's way is always the better course of action.
Contrary to popular belief, all teenagers do NOT have sex. And contrary to popular belief, all adults are NOT practicing fornication. The old saying "everybody does it" is a lie. Some people have been properly educated and benefit from it everyday.
Hannah J Paul
☼ɣɐʃʃɜƾ ɰɐɽɨɲɜɽɨƾ♀
Education is absolutely better. I can understand parents not wanting their kids to have sex, I am a parent myself. But what I can't understand are the parents who don't want their kids educated and prepared. It makes no sense. It's almost like setting our children up to fail for when they do have sex, because we all know they will eventually. Teaching abstinence alone does nothing but set young people up to fail.