Good news for abstinence-only education?

Posted 2/02/10 by Eva Lam

The Washington Post reports that a federally funded study of abstinence-only sex education, which got a lot of cash from the Clinton administration on, offers the first reasonably scientific evidence that abstinence-only might be effective. (For some of the large body of evidence that many abstinence-only programs are riddled with distortions and outright lies, see The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education Programs, aka Reasons Henry Waxman is Awesome.)

But wait! Not only was the program in question directed at sixth- and seventh-graders; it was also much unlike many programs that do receive federal funding

It did not take a moralistic tone, as many abstinence programs do. Most notably, the sessions encouraged children to delay sex until they are ready, not necessarily until married; did not portray sex outside marriage as never appropriate; and did not disparage condoms.

Moral of the story: when you take away 90% of the things that suck about abstinence-only education, it turns out that abstinence-only education sucks about 90% less.

One Response to “Good news for abstinence-only education?”

  1. bOB says:

    When you Harvard College snots get old and are deeply in Love with your spouses you are going to regret the memories (false as they may be) of previous liaisons.

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