TX: Instructions about condoms are couched in terms of how often they fail, according to state law

[rainbow4321]

<sigh> As a TX health care worker who takes care of people living with HIV/AIDS, this infuriates me. The first article is from this weekend, the second is from March 2008. Both are from the right wing rag DMN, so there is no way in hell they are going to connect the dots between the 2 articles for readers and tell the TX repuke regime that their plan is NOT WORKING!!



http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/071408dntexabstinence.4fec6217.html

Texas spent a nation-high $17 million last year for abstinence education programs that continue to stir debate about whether classes promoting virginity before marriage work in public schools.

Federal statistics in June showed that 52.9 percent of Texas students in ninth through 12th grades had sexual intercourse, compared with 47.8 nationally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that Texas youths are less likely to use condoms.

Public schools in Texas are not required to offer sex education, but those that do must make the lessons abstinence-focused. Instructions about condoms are couched in terms of how often they fail, according to state law.

"I think the interpretation has morphed into abstinence-only, which is not our policy," Coleman said. "If I could fix anything, it'd be to make the law more instructive to say, 'This is what you can teach"' about contraceptives.

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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/031308dnmetstdfolo.314c51c.html

Parents, health officials in Dallas County alarmed by STD report

In Dallas County, health officials say nearly a third of patients infected with sexually transmitted diseases are younger than 25.

Dallas area health officials also report the face of sexually transmitted diseases is getting younger. Some doctors report cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea in girls as young as 14.

"Unfortunately, we do see a higher number of teenagers testing positive for STDs, especially syphilis and HIV," said Jacqueline M. Bell, spokeswoman for the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department.


Anecdotally, HPV infections are "horrendously high" among teenagers who get treatment at Parkland Memorial Hospital's 11 school clinics in Dallas County, said Dr. Sharon Davis, the lead physician at the Youth and Family Centers.