Abstinence only programs have increased teen sexual activity

[Bouncy Ball]

my local news reporting that Texas A&M University did a study of all these Texas high schools that have abstinence only programs (that bush funds) in which they are not allowed to talk about birth control OR STDs and they found that teen sexual activity was way UP in those schools, especially as compared to schools that still educate teens about birth control and STDs.

A&M, for as backwards as it is in many ways, was also the school that, in the late 80s to early 90s, had one of the lowest rates of student HIV infection in the NATION, primarily becuase of a Planned Parenthood clinic directly across from campus, easily accessible to students, and their presence on campus in which they gave away free condoms (constantly! I went there, I know! You could have 500 at a time!) and held regular education programs and outreach programs for students.

Then some anti-choice groups ran them out of town.

Guess what happened? YOu got it. Unplanned pregnancy rates went up, STD infection rates went up, HIV rates have skyrocketed, and abortions are up.

Whatdayaknow? When are these people GOING TO LEARN????

Forewarned is forearmed. ARM KIDS WITH KNOWLEDGE!!!!

[rfranklin]

1. Did you use all 500?

I just bought them in packs of three. And died of embarassment every time I had to ask the lady in the drugstore to get the packet off the shelf--in those days they were not displayed openly.

[Bouncy Ball]

3. No.

But every single person I knew had TONS of those free colored condoms. We even had a big huge bowl in our apartment filled with them. Someone was ALWAYS giving them out on campus, insisting you take some, like you were just desperately going to need it on your way to your English Lit class or something, LOL!

But we took 'em and I tell ya, for those years, from the mid-80s to early 90s, NO student at A&M had ANY excuse not to use a condom, period.

[WindRavenX]

2. Oy vey

Makes the head spin.

[dsc]

4. Your posts title is misleading

it states sexual activity went up when your post says pregnancies, STD's went up.

[Bouncy Ball]

9. No it's not misleading

the news story said sexual activity is up.

In my post I talk about two cases: Texas high schools and Texas A&M University.

[stevebreeze]

5. you seem to think "abstinence programs are not having the desired effect.

Not so. The act of sex is for reproduction. Having sex for other reasons results in the punishment of illness. Besides, a higher birth rate drives down wages. It's all going as planed...here have some koolaid.

[K-W]

6. Lets keep sex a secret, maybe they wont find out.

Once a bad plan, always a bad plan.

[Fleshdancer]

7. you can't force ignorance on people and then get mad because

they suddenly have to deal with the consequences of their own ignorance. Telling teens (or anyone really) to just "say no" without giving them actual information is just asking for trouble.

The unhealthy views toward sexuality in this country makes my flesh crawl. We expect young adults to go to school and learn how the body works...the muscles, bones, and organs. We can tell them about the lower intestine, lymph nodes and the heart, but heaven forbid we discuss the uterus and sperm and the process of fertilization. I just don't understand.

[coloradodem2005]

8. I guess that's what happens when you don't...

...talk about contraceptives.