That Abstinence Study...Missing The Point

The promised links.

A summary of the Mathematica Policy Institute study on the effectiveness of abstinence education commissioned by Congress:

http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/Family_Support/abstinence.asp

Good abstract from a think tank founded by the founder of Planned Parenthood (try to be honest about my sources):

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/gpr/12/1/gpr120106.html

The article from AP Medical Writer, who put her lead at the beginning of the story (also more appropriately titled "Success seen with experimental abstinence program"):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8929980

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Abstinence
• education
• studies
• correct
• conclusions

[anastasia81472]

The puritanical approach never works. None of us asked permission to have sex, and it's nonsense to expect our children to. You have to educate and inform your children, not fill their heads with non-facts based on a naive moralistic view.

[FeelFreeToArgue]

@anastasia81472 It's a cruel parent that sends their kid into the world armed with BS, it will not serve them well. Actually, one of the better things Obama has done is cut the funding for these morality based abstinence programs which do not work. A spokesman for administration suggested that while the Jemmott study s/ open the door to further inquiry, for the time being they were only going to fund programs w/ a well-established track record.

[55ella2007k]

I'm sorry, Zach....but I had to laugh so hard about this new study...I just couldn't help but notice that all these morality apostles from the christian la-la land, would immediately declare a landslide victory. Never mind their own transgressions in this regard - after all, as long as you ATONE, at least in public, you won't be left behind, after all :)

[FeelFreeToArgue]

Ok, you got me. But unlike most parents, I think that was a mistake. It was very hard on Devon when she found out (she found out at 9, after most of her friends, I think.) The interesting part of it, and this s/ give other parents who are "spreading the lie" some pause, she wasn't upset that SC didn't exist, but she was very hurt and angry that her parents had systematically lied to her. That was the Christmas we weren't allowed to mention SC by name or say any of the presents were from him.

[CarrieRulesTheBlock]

i got an idea dont show tv shows with teenagers being popular for having sex.

[Capitalocracy]

@FeelFreeToArgue so what do you do about Santa Claus?

[FeelFreeToArgue]

@FeelFreeToArgue It's amazing what kids come up with on their own - how good their little bs detectors can be. I was driving along in the car the other day and my daughter just says, out of the blue, "Hell is a great way to get people to do what you want. Do it my way or go to hell."

What could I say? "Yes. Yes it is."

[FeelFreeToArgue]

@Capitalocracy As a parent, I never sugar coat anything for my kids, I just find appropriate metaphors & simple language to describe it. I don't believe in temporary mistruths or half-truths. I may get run over by a car tomorrow - do I want my legacy to my kids to be that I filled their heads w/ the societally approved self-serving horseshit? I imagine there might be a topic which I would be unable to discus w/ my kids, but I would just admit that I didn't have a way to discus that w/ them.

[FeelFreeToArgue]

@tyrbolo And the most profound irony of all is the parents who are most frantic are the ones who will not be told anything by their children, s/ they go against their parents' obvious wishes. Knowing their parents' condemnation awaits them makes that admission so hard to coax out, a lot of kids simply aren't brave enough. If the kids continue & get caught, it can often lead to a downward spiral of restrictions leading to violations & ever worse restrictions.

Brittle trust is easily shattered.

[Capitalocracy]

thoroughly handled, no room for argument against that. I can't believe how stupid they think the American people can be, when they take what's clearly a comprehensive sex-ed situation and call it "abstinence education", then say the success of the program proves that programs which teach you that condoms don't work are a good idea. Newsflash: Lying to your kids is a BAD thing.

Because they're smarter than you think, and it won't take them long to figure out you're full of shit.