Abstinence Only Sex Education

Abstinence-Only Programs Are Ineffective According to Debra W. Haffner, “There are no published studies in the professional literature indicating that abstinence-only programs will result in young people delaying intercourse.”(…) In correlation with the growth of teen pregnancy, the desire to experiment with a partner, and the advancement of more effective contraceptives, abstinence-only sex education is not the proper teaching for teenage students. Critics of abstinence-only education propose that merely telling students not to have sex, and expecting them to take note, is unrealistic. Sources, such as the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a sexual and reproductive health and research organization, show that nearly half of all adolescents will engage in some sort of sexual behavior before they leave high school. Therefore, it is vital to provide students with the proper knowledge they need to make responsible decisions. (…) Gloria Feldt, President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, says, “When teens have access to the full range of reproductive health care services, including medically accurate sexuality education, they are more likely to make responsible choices about sex and sexuality.” (…) The increase of teenage pregnancy has placed a burden upon the argument for non-abstinent-only education. As indicated by the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, every year an estimated 850,000 teenagers become pregnant. These statistics also conclude that more than one-third of girls will become pregnant before the age of twenty, and that 78 percent of these pregnancies are unintended. Comprehensive sex education helps delay sexual intercourse between teens by offering them the tools they need to avoid unintended pregnancy.(Berne 91) “Research done by Douglas Kirby for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy shows that programs that provide teenagers with comprehensive sex education that includes a discussion of