Fact, Opinion, and Responsibility: Abstinence-Only Education Must Communicate Carefully

Sex education classes that teach abstinence as the only way to prevent pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases may also be teaching false information.

According to a congressional study prepared for Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) by the House Government Reform Committee, 80 percent of federally-funded abstinence-only curricula contain misinformation about reproductive health.

In addition to the issue of accuracy in public health education, the report raises questions about the government’s participation in reproductive health, traditional gender roles, and youth education.

Considering abstinence-only

Even critics of abstinence-only education acknowledge that it can communicate positive messages. The emphasis on long-term relationships, trust, and communication is likely to be valuable, although overall effectiveness of these programs is still widely disputed.

Even so, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that a larger percentage of teenagers abstained from sex in 2002 than did in 1995. Further, teenagers who had sex used contraceptives more often in 2002 than in 1995. The study did not attempt to determine whether or not abstinence-only education influenced teenagers’ decisions, but it did note that most teenagers had had some form of sex education.

The parent factor

Of course, parents have differing views about what sort of information will prevent their children from having unprotected sex. Some believe that abstaining from sex altogether is the only way for children to protect themselves from pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases. Others prefer that their children have all of the information available about contraception and abortion, so that they are prepared for a variety of circumstances.

The debate about abstinence-only education is largely a dialogue about the most responsible way to communicate with children about sex. It’s likely that different children and different parents require different solutions.

But no matter how parents, schools, and government frame sex education, they need to make sure it’s factual.

Not just the facts, ma’am - the Waxman report

Most lawmakers agree that public health education programs, including abstinence-only programs, should be reviewed by the federal government, especially those that are federally-funded. In the 2005 fiscal year, the government will spend $170 million on abstinence-only education.

That’s extra incentive for Congress to examine what’s being taught, and Representative Waxman, an opponent of abstinence-only education, decided to do just that.

Waxman investigated 13 popular abstinence-only programs that are taught to youth in schools and health centers. Researchers found that eleven of these curricula had "major errors" about everything from contraceptives to abortion.

For example, many of the curricula investigated refute Center for Disease Control findings that condoms are highly effective in preventing both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV. One curriculum states that condoms fail to prevent the transmission of HIV 31% of the time, an erroneous fact drawn from a faulty 1993 study which the scientific community rejects.

Several curricula also misrepresent data on condoms and pregnancy. In one parent’s guide to abstinence-only curricula, condoms are said to fail 14% of the time by women who use them "scrupulously." In fact, that failure rate applies to couples who use condoms carelessly, while couples who use them carefully and consistently are faced with a 2 to 3 percent failure rate.

In this case, an abstinence-only program is misinforming parents - and if parents have the wrong information, how can we expect kids to know the facts?

Confusing science with belief

While the purpose of abstinence-only education is to teach moral values alongside scientific fact, many abstinence-only curricula teach some individuals’ moral values as scientific fact.

For example, one curriculum teaches that fertilization of an egg is "when life begins," and another that a 43-day-old fetus is a "thinking person."

Although there are a variety of different cultural beliefs about when a fetus becomes a person, many abstinence-only curricula call a fetus a "baby," even from the first moment of conception.

For everyone who holds views on sexual relations and appropriate sex education, their views are for them moral values.

Girls are like this, boys are like that

Many abstinence-only curricula also reinforce gender stereotypes, many of which are presented as scientific facts.

For example, one curriculum teaches "financial support" as one of the "5 Major Needs of Women," and "domestic support" as one of the "5 Major Needs of Men."

In addition to making broad assumptions about men and women, some of the curricula present girls as less concerned with achievement than boys, and as weak and in need of male protection.

Americans differ on their views of gender roles. For many women, including those that are anti-abortion under any circumstance, stereotyping women as less concerned with achievement either in school or in the workplace is wrong.

WomenMatter urges all of us to use this site to discuss respectfully these critical questions:

• What is the role of government in educating the public about reproductive health?
• What is the role of the parents?
• Should sex education explore gender roles as well?
• And what does it mean for abstinence-only programs to encourage traditional gender roles in which women are "weaker" and "dependent" on men?
• Should these curricula explore non-traditional partnerships such as gay and lesbian relationships?

What do you think?

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Update Posted on: 12/15/2004