Teens Continue to Hit Home Runs

Given the rash of recent right-wing whining about the Obama Administration’s proposed federal expenditures, it is astounding to note that Congress has committed more than $1.5 billion to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs since 1996. Meanwhile, zero dollars have gone to comprehensive sex education.

It is abundantly clear that abstinence-only programs fail. And by fail, I mean that these programs have failed to meet their own stated objective: to delay the onset of sexual activity (see Guttmacher Institute Report on Abstinence-Only Education and More Soldiers for the Lord). Moreover, teens who received comprehensive sex education were 50 percent less likely to become pregnant than teens who were in abstinence-only programs (see UW Researchers Say Comprehensive Sex Ed Cuts Teen Pregnancies and Bristol Palin).

Generally speaking, I am against any federally mandated programs that attempt to “parent” children. I strongly prefer local control, if not individual autonomy. I recognize that the residents of San Francisco may have different sensibilities than the residents of Wasilla, Alaska. Having said that, if Congress is going to continue to dedicate cash to teaching American children what not to do with their respective genitalia, it seems logical to broaden the curriculum a bit.

The Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act is a step in the right direction (detailed information here: REAL Act). The REAL Act will fund programs that do all of the following:
1) Continue to stress the value of abstinence and teach that it is the only certain way to avoid pregnancy or STDs;
2) Provide medically accurate information about the health benefits and side effects of contraceptives;
3) Encourage family communication about sexuality;
4) Teach skills for making responsible decisions about sex, including how to avoid unwanted verbal, physical, and sexual advances and how not to make unwanted verbal, physical, and sexual advances; and
5) Teach that alcohol and drug use can affect the ability to make responsible decisions—much to the chagrin of teenage boys everywhere.

Significantly, the REAL Act is a broad set of guidelines for those wishing to receive federal funding. The specific curriculum and the age at which it’s taught will be determined by the local community.

Peter Rothberg, of The Nation (whose post Get Real on Sex Ed brought the REAL Act to my attention), sums it up quite well: The REAL Act is a necessary antidote to counterproductive abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that spread misinformation, marginalize gay and lesbian youth and reinforce gender stereotypes. The idea is that these programs will supply young people with the tools to make informed decisions, resist peer pressure, set goals, manage stress, be responsible, understand and accept diversity, build healthy relationships and have access to up-to-date information about how they can protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.