Abstinence-only OK

Sex has consequences

I do not believe that I have ever seen an opinion article so naïve as to the nature of sexual intercourse among young teens. Debra Singer Hanson in “Abstinence education leaves much to be desired” (11/18, Opinion, Midwest Voices) stated that young teens should experiment with and enjoy sexual intercourse so that they will not grow up feeling that it is taboo and a matter for guilt.

Hanson should volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center and see what life is like for a pregnant 16-year-old who has a 1-year-old child and has already had an abortion.

Sex is not a toy. Let’s get real!

Jerry Fournier
Kansas City

Risky behavior

It was good of Debra Singer Hanson, and I suppose others who have similar opinions, to tell us why they are opposed to teaching total abstinence in our schools — that these young people should instead be encouraged to “celebrate the joy of their bodies.”

Joy of their bodies, indeed. In less euphemistic language, this would be called “sexual promiscuity.”

It is exactly this behavior that has caused a large percentage of the population of Africa to be infected with AIDS, with the attendant devastation it has caused to families and the work force. It has also raised considerable havoc in the gay community. And if the AIDS virus gains a foothold among our high school students, which could easily happen, how much joy will they celebrate then?

Robert Reimers
Gardner, Kan.

Comments

[tomw]

http://mentalhealth.about.com/b/a/071116.htm

"A Columbia University study suggests that such pledges are rarely translated into behavior. 88% of the teens who had pledged abstinence actually had sex before they were married."

[Mark Robertson]

I agree, that was one of the most bizarre editorials ever in the Star.(which is saying a lot)
Hansen says that only 12% of young people who pledge abstinence until marriage actually follow through. Yet, she gives no sources for this claim. How is it possible to find such research data anyway? It probably was from some agenda driven poll. Plus, it is an indictment of teaching "sex education" in public schools.
But even if the poll result were correct, should abstinence proponents give up? Obviously not. New approaches and stepping up efforts are likely answers. What are results from young people who are taught abstinence in church based programs, and/or who are taught this way of living from thier parents.
Having said all of this though, the federal government's track record in solving problems is dismal, no matter how much they spend on it.
Current "sex education" courses in public schools and even some private schools are a disaster.
Families and churches are the best places to learn about procreation.( I know that many young people come from less that great families and also don't attend church)
Hansen calls this "heresy." Is it becoming clear where she is coming from?
Sex education is always faith based. It is either based on a faith such as the Christian faith, or it is based on the religion of secular humanism. The secular humanists are the "Certified Sex Educators" that Hansen talks about.
What really needs to be done is to follow Hansen's advice and get more young people to start "celebrating the joy of their bodies and explore essential relationships with one another."
Just breathtaking wisdom, especially since this approach has already been so "fruitful." Thankyou.

Mark Robertson
Independence

[Engineer]

CRD
It worked fairly well for my generation. When we got married we stayed married in a much higher percentage than the following "enlightened" generations. In the years after sex education started in school, the "Out of wedlock" birth rate increased greatly for teens. It has now decreased but the over all rate for all age groups still increases. While there are exceptions, this often means a troubled life is in store for the children.

[CRD]

The way I read the article is that the author took issue with, among other things, the unrealistic idea that abstinence until the age of 29 should be taught. She wasn't advocating that 16-year-olds should be f*cking like bunnies, like these letter writers imply, but making the valid point that abstinence programs that have as their goal scaring young adults away from sex simply don't work well, for a number of reasons.