1.3 Billion Dollars to Abstinence-Only Education since 1990
April 24, 2008 by Kristen
Doesn’t the above statement make your jaw drop a little and a sickening pit in your stomach to grow? It does mine. But this is the latest number put forth as a panel in the House of Representatives debated continuing to fund such abstinence-only sex ed. There seems to be a growing outcry among experts who have published reports on how abstinence-only programs not only don’t work, but can be detrimental to teens’ health. As Dr. Margaret Blythe of the American Academy of Pediatrics told the committee:
Vast sums of federal monies continue to be directed toward these programs. And, in fact, there is evidence to suggest that some of these programs are even harmful and have negative consequences by not providing adequate information for those teens who do become sexually active.
And an ABC News story begins with this heartening anecdote:
At age 17, Max Siegel started a relationship and had unprotected sex with a man six years his senior. Siegel said he wanted to use a condom but his partner didn’t. Siegel contracted HIV.
Not only has over a billion dollars been devoted to seriously ineffective programs (1.3 billion dollars!) but 17 out of the 50 U.S. states have had to turn down money because they refused to teach abstinence only. Happily a number of Democrats are now actively working against the federal support of such programs.
Thanks to my friend, Cara, for sending me a number of links to news stories on the current debate: Los Angeles Times (free registration) (4/24), Reuters (4/24) , ABC News (4/23).
Kristen
we may be soulmates-the two resolutions I’ve been working on to be presented to the american academy of family physicians are about supporting RHPPA and rejecting abstinence only education