Politics
Monday June 18, 2007
Major Study Reveals Overwhelming Bias of "Comprehensive" Sex Education
U.S. Appropriations Committee votes to increase funding to abstinence education
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By Elizabeth O'Brien
WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The United States House Appropriations Committee reviewed a report that reveals the overwhelming pro-contraceptive bias within "comprehensive" sex-education programs, reported the Washington Times last week. The Committee read the report on Thursday before voting to increase abstinence-education funding.
The new bill will provide an extra $27.8 million dollars for the Community-Based Abstinence Education Program, raising its total to $141 in funding, says the Times. The same amount will also go towards the Title X family-planning programs, making a total of $311 million.
Earlier in 2005, Senators Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania asked for an official report on sex-education in order to ensure that government dollars were being used wisely. As a result, the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) made a detailed and methodical investigation of nine of the most common "comprehensive" sex-education programs.
According to the National Institute of Health, Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) is defined as "teaching both abstinence and the use of protective methods for sexually active youth." The final HHS report, however, found several vital areas of bias.
The report states, "Of the curricula reviewed, the curriculum with the most balanced discussion of abstinence and safer-sex still discussed condoms and contraception nearly seven times more than abstinence."
The "Reducing the Risk" program, for example, is medically accurate, but fails to point out the high risk of STD infection for condom users.
In "Be Proud! Be Responsible!", there are 495 references to condoms compared to 77 references to "abstinence" or "things that are 100% safe/effective". This program also makes a serious medical error. It states the following inaccuracy: "When they are used in conjunction with a spermicide such as Nooxynol-9, condoms become even more effective in preventing disease transmissions."
"Be Proud! Be Responsible!" gives examples of different ways to enjoy sex with the least possible risk of infection. Referring to these suggestions, the text claims, "In order for a curriculum to effectively reduce adolescent risk of HIV infection, it must dispel beliefs that condoms interfere with sexual pleasure." Similar to many other programs, however, it fails to adequately outline the dangers of condom failure.
In another major American curriculum, "Making Proud Choices," the text makes 650 references to condoms and only 18 to abstinence.
The report concludes that modern curricula seek to "lessen risks" rather than work at "avoiding sexual activity", and this may explain why they are "more effective at increasing condom use than at delaying sexual debut."
The recent study, released by Dr. Weed of the Institute for Research and Evaluation, clearly shows, however, that condoms and other forms of contraception do not protect sexually active adolescents from the serious emotional trauma that is associated with pre-marital sexual activity. Educating young people about abstinence is the most effective method of protecting them from disease, heartbreak, teen pregnancy and sexual violence (See http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07061304.html ).
Read original ACF report on biased sex-education programs:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/abstinence/06122007-153424.PDF
Related Coverage:
Bush: Abstinence Only 100 % Effective Means of Preventing Pregnancy, HIV, STDs
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06062308.html
Abstinence Alone Protects Fully Against HIV, Ugandan First Lady Tells Youth
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/dec/06120601.html
Abstinence Education Works - New Report Offers More Evidence
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/dec/04121004.html
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