[mriff]

What do you think about this article?

Sunday Forum: Quit clowning around

[CoDudette]

wow. i'm amazed. it simply re-affirms my thoughts. regardless of whether you preach abstinence or not, the numbers are pretty much the same.

and moreover, vague and inane answers to sex related questions qualify you to become a certified abstinence educator. how do they determine that? how do you even come close to being a CAE? if you really are qualified (according to the abstinence clearinghouse website), wouldn't you actually have an impact on people?

Is this clearinghouse recognized by the government? what gives this clearinghouse any authority on determining that it can certify CAE's? it's sad that almost anyone and everyone can half-heartedly answer some questions and gets certified, and yet.. the numbers of teen sex and STD's in teens is alarmingly on the rise.

[test54]

"A few studies indicate a more sinister effect: Columbia University researchers found that not only were students in abstinence-only programs having sex anyway, they were less likely to use condoms or other forms of contraception."

therein lies the reason to abandon publicly funded abstinence-only programs. I know its just my opinion.

[kathrynhr]

We have teens and tweens. This is a big issue in my house right now.

I would never advocate abstinence-only education, but it's common sense to make it a priority say to young people that the only way to make 100% sure that they will contract neither children nor a disease is to refrain from sexual activity.

I think both sides go about it wrong. Abstinence advocates (mostly Christians) tend to romanticize sex, albeit inadvertently. "Save it for someone you really love and want to be with forever." Worst possible thing to say to a teenage girl, let me tell ya. Sex ed advocates tend to over-focus on sex itself and not on the long-term view.

Personally, I think the best form of birth control is a full knowledge of all the possible consequences of sexual activity. If I were in charge I would make sure young people saw the goriest possible photos of disease symptoms, witnessed a bloody screaming natural childbirth video, took care of an actual baby (preferably one with colic), and were able to state correctly the dollar amounts -- monthly and over a lifetime -- that it takes in their area to pay for sustenance, care, and education of a child.

The ones that would be likely to be persuaded anyway, would be. Some teens you'd literally have to lock up to keep them from having sex, but that would probably catch the rest.

[Dawg]

The other end of the spectrum is that even if they are practicing abstinance they are still having massive amounts of oral sex. Why?, because they have been told thats not sex. Thanks Slick willy..

Ive over heard my entire 12 and thirteen year old football team tallking about oral sex with the girls. they are doing it on the buses and movie theaters.

I work part time at a theater and they have banned pajama bottoms (they are easy to remove) because the kids were having oral sex in the back rows of the theater.

[CoDudette]

Originally Posted by Dawg

I work part time at a theater and they have banned pajama bottoms (they are easy to remove) because the kids were having oral sex in the back rows of the theater.

It doesn't surprise me at all. I visited my high school after 12 years, and some of my old teachers are still teaching there and they told me, they've caught 12 & 13 year olds in the deserted classrooms practicing oral sex or having sex. Some were caught having sex without protection (don't ask me how they knew).

Even if you did teach them about abstinence and showing them the goriest videos (as has been mentioned above), somehow they might just turn a blind eye to it. Kids today are growing up so fast, its really frightening.

[SteveO86]

Ignorance is bliss... till the consequences arise.

Ignorance is all I can blame it on, kids think they know everything and can deal with the world themselves.. If they ever think about the whole picture they'd release many things.