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Abstinence-Plus Sex Education Case Study

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Most everyone has an opinion of how human sexuality education should be presented to the children in America’s public schools. Parents, teachers, board of education members, community stakeholders, and politicians all have their own ideas of how to keep teen pregnancy rates down in our country. However, even with so much interest in the sex education debate teen pregnancy rates remain the highest in the United States compared to other leading nations (Kohler, 2008). There are two types of sexual education programs used in our schools: abstinence-only education, and a more comprehensive approach labeled abstinence-plus education. Abstinence-only curriculums teach children that they should wait until marriage before having sex. Birth control …show more content…

Although federal funding for abstinence-plus sex education programs is available, there is a stipulation: these programs are still required to project the abstinence message (Kohler, 2008). Abstinence-plus education focuses more on a medical, scientific approach to health education. The moral, ethical, and religious aspects of sex education are not elaborated (Malone, 2011). Still, the question remains: Which sex education program is the most effective at reducing the risk of unwanted pregnancy in teens (Kohler, 2008)? The goal of each of the three studies I reviewed was to “evaluate the current sex-education approach in the United States and to identify the most effect educational approach to reduce the high U.S. teen pregnancy rates” (Stanger-Hall, 2011, p. 2). Within the articles, the studies proved that abstinence-only education does not reduce the risk of teen pregnancy in America. Abstinence-only education is actually linked to increased teen pregnancy rates throughout all three …show more content…

The study showed that 21 of the 48 states department of educations encouraged abstinence-only education, while 11 states stressed abstinence-plus education while teaching abstinence in context. The remaining state education departments did not include abstinence as a policy (Stanger-Hall, 2011). The results of this study were unsurprisingly similar to the results of the other studies reviewed. Abstinence-only education programs correlated with teen pregnancy rates with a positive result, showing that “abstinence-only education in the United States does not cause abstinence behavior” (Stanger-Hall, 2011, p. 4). The study also proved that states were more successful in preventing teen pregnancy when they allowed educators to teach abstinence-plus curricula along with concept of abstinence (Stanger-Hall, 2011). Also, within this study was a survey of public opinion. The survey showed that “82% of randomly selected adults aged 18 to 83 years-old supported comprehensive programs that teach students about both abstinence and other methods of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases” (Stanger-Hall, 2011, p.

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Emma Elliott, a writer for the Concerned Women for America organization, compiled a pamphlet in 2005 in support of an abstinence-only based sexual education system. Elliott establishes her argument in a unique countering organization. She presents a popular claim about sexual education and then refutes it with a reason supporting abstinence. In general, she includes eight mainstream beliefs. The first one is rather general where she refutes that “Abstinence education doesn't work”, and she continues to say that is does and backs up her argument with multiple studies, such as the program “Best Friends” caused 80% less possibility of sexual activity.

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It is also important that we provide accurate and proven sexual classes to our students. More than 80% of Americans believe that a form of sexual education should be taught in schools.5 The majority of these people believe that this education should be focused on various forms of birth control. Currently the federal government provides funds for these evidence-based types of education through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative and the Personal Responsibility Education Program. I will support programs that seek to expand funding for programs that teach a variety of birth control methods

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Sex is a major part of most people's lives. It is important for us to teach teens how to approach this topic in the proper manner. Children are taught using either the abstinence or preventative method. It is undetermined which one is better, but in this paper there will be a comparison between two states, one who teaches a preventative method, California, and one who teaches with the abstinence only method, West Virginia. STDs are an important topic.

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Three key messages exist within abstinence-plus education. Unlike the repetitiveness of abstinence-only education, abstinence- plus teaches students that engaging in sexual intercourse is a big decision, according to Wilson. Another key point that falls under this approach is that abstinence is the heathiest choice. And the third and final point Wilson states is, "that teens who engage in sexual intercourse must use birth control and condoms correctly" (73). While abstinence-plus education doesn’t explicitly say chastity is the best way to live, the approach is to provide students with alternative options to keep themselves

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Professor Ross Government 2306 8 February 2015 Is Abstinence-only education the correct approach for Texas? Owning one of the highest rates of teen pregnancies in the Union, Texas has an abstinence only approach in sexual education to try to reduce pregnancies? In addition to this, Texas ranks first as being the top spender in sexual education, but can’t get solidified results out of its spending. Texas doesn’t teach anything about contraception, how the Texas Department of State Health Services has said that the mission of the program is to delay sexual actions among teenagers until they are old enough, and the use of abstinence only education to protect children from explicit content only to find out in their own way leads to curiosity

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Abstinence is not an effective method of birth control. According to a study from Advocates for Youth, 95% of Americans have had premarital sex and teens who pledged to wait until marriage and 60% broke their promise after six years. In addition, the study also found that people who pledged virginity were more likely to engage in oral or anal sex than non-pledging virgin teens and less likely to use condoms once they become sexually active. Also, people who pledged were much less likely than non-pledgers to use contraception the first time they had sex and were less likely to know their STI status. Abstinence only education provides a false sense of security the first time people are having sex.

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The first study supported their hypothesis that the program would increase pro-abstinence (Rue et al., 2012). The second study found that Family Action Model for Empowerment program helped to reduce risky behavior in teens in the mindset of abstinence (Abel et al., 2008). The third study found that their abstinence Reasons of Heart program achieved a significant reduction in teen sexual development (Weed et al., 2008). My position within the debate was to argue that Abstinence-only programs do work. Based on all the supporting evidence and results of my three articles, they prove and support the idea that abstinence programs do

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Among the most developed countries, America has the worst sex education programs. The abstinence-centered programs used are insufficient and can be detrimental to youth’s psychological health. Unlike abstinence programs, comprehensive sex education programs teach students responsible and healthy sexual behavior along with healthy relationships with parents, peers, and friends. The only type of sex education that is federally funded is abstinence-centered programs. The United State’s current sex education system needs to be more consistent and sufficient for today’s time because it is outdated and can have a harmful effect on youth’s health.

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Many sexuality education school programmes focuses on prevention of teenage pregnancy, birth control, information about condoms and other contraceptives (Michie et al., 2005). Whereas some parents want abstinence to be the primary goal in sexuality education, others want children to be taught to make responsible decisions regarding sex (Michie et al., 2005). The fact is that abstinence is not always observed, and this explains why schools must have a more comprehensive approach in which they teach abstinence as the best option and provide information about contraception. It has been asserted that any sexuality education programme that supports abstinence until marriage is founded upon religious beliefs that it is not acceptable to engage in sexual intercourse outside of marriage (Tucker et al., 2006). Normally, the tenets of this approach to sexuality education are defined in a way that makes pre-marital sex

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Abstinence only programs help teens understand that sex can lead to unwanted pregnancies, that it is best to stay abstinent until after marriage, why sexual relations can often lead to physical and psychological side effects, and why its not only good to learn about abstinence, but about sex education as well. These are all statements said from The Advocates of Youth on their website. This article helps our research by helping teens see why it is great to learn about abstinence. This also helps teens understand that unprotected sex is one thing not to be played with. Knowing information about human contraception and condoms is a natural human known fact.

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Regardless of the pros and cons to comprehensive sex education programs in schools, there have been studies that show that such programs help younger generations avoid health-related sexual issues and remain as healthy as they can. Ways such as has curriculum that teaches more about sexual health beyond the idea of abstinence-only programs and provide resourceful information such as about contraception and condoms, would be beneficial compromises can help promote comprehensive sex education programs be implemented in schools. Educating the youth about practicing safe sex practices, which protects themselves and others from any health complications, has been shown to be very effective in many studies. “Two-thirds of the 48 comprehensive sex

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These programs deny teens scientifically proven and lifesaving information such as how to use condoms to protect themselves against STIs. SIECUS reviewed a curricula called WAIT Training used in abstinence-only programs and found that it contained limited medical information and hardly no information about STIs, including HIV/AIDS. Research from 2009 shows that 46 percent of adolescents in the United States have already had sex. Teens need information on how they can protect themselves from unplanned pregnancy and sexual transmitted diseases before they are sexually active (Watkins). Abstinence-only programs violates teen’s human right by withholding important information that enables them to make informed

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Birth Control in Schools Teen pregnancy has always been a problem, and some schools think preaching abstinence will make it go away. But telling teens to stay abstinent may be part of the problem. We need to not teach students that sex is bad, but rather unsafe sex is bad, not only because it risks pregnancy but STDs as well. Schools should provide students with birth control because abstinence should not be the school’s choice, it encourages safety, and it will help students who can’t get contraceptives otherwise.

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Introduction 1. Attention Getter: The provision of sex education in schools has been a controversial subject matter among different education stakeholders ranging from parents to educators. A focus, however, on the prevalence of adolescents’ abortion, pregnancy, and HIV and AIDS rates indicates significantly high rates.

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