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ABSTINENCE-ONLY-UNTIL-MARRIAGE SEX EDUCATION

The U.S. and Sex Education

  • The U.S. has unacceptable rates of teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV/AIDS infections.  The U.S. has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the developed world – twice as high as England, Wales or Canada, and eight times as high as the Netherlands or Japan.1

  • In 1996, the U.S. Congress established a federal program to exclusively fund programs teaching abstinence only sex education.2  The law established a stringent eight-point definition of "abstinence-only education" that requires programs to teach that sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong and harmful—for people of any age."  There are no federal programs to fund comprehensive sex education programs.

  • Since 1996, more than $1.5 billion in federal and state matching funds have been spent on abstinence-only programs.  President Bush has even requested a $28 million increase for abstinence-only programs.  States accepting federal funds for abstinence-only programs are required to match these funds.  Fourteen states have rejected federal abstinence-only money.3

Texas and Sex Education

  • Texas leads the nation with the highest teen birth rate and repeat teen pregnancies4 and has the 5th highest teen pregnancy rate.5

  • Texas law does not require schools to provide sexuality education.6  If a sexuality education course is taught, it must stress abstinence as the preferred behavior for unmarried persons and teach that condoms and contraceptives are ineffective at disease and pregnancy prevention if instruction on contraceptives are included in the curriculum.7

  • However, abstinence-only sex education classes are not required to present the health benefits of contraceptive and condom use.8  If a course providing STI education is taught, it must teach abstinence but is not required to provide STI prevention information, such as the use of condoms.9

  • In November 2003, the Texas State Board of Education adopted sex education textbooks that do not discuss contraceptives or condoms, except for their ineffectiveness, and only discuss remaining abstinent until marriage.10  The books do nothing to help sexually active teens comprehend and deal with the emotions of adolescent sexual activity. These textbooks will be used in Texas schools for the next 10 years.

"Just Say No" Just Doesn't Work

  • Every year, almost 750,000 girls ages 15-19 become pregnant,11 and young people account for nearly half of the 18.9 million new STI cases each year.12  A 2007 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed the U.S. teen birth rate rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006, ending a 14 year steady decrease since 1991.13

  • According to a recent Mathematica Policy Research study, abstinence-only programs have no effect in reducing teen sexual activity or number of partners.14  On the other hand, the research did show that medically-accurate, comprehensive sex education helps delay initiation of sex, reduce frequency of sex, and increases contraception and condom use.15

  • The vast majority of Americans and parents - 82% - support comprehensive sex education that teaches about both abstinence and other methods of preventing STIs and pregnancy.16

  • Every reputable sex education organization in the U.S., as well as prominent health organizations including the American Medical Association.

  1. The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI).  "Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing: Levels and Trends in Developed Countries."  Family Planning Perspectives.  v32, number 1, January/February 2000.  [Accessed online December 2007, http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3201400.pdf]

  2. AGI.  Facts on Sex Education in the United States.  January 2007.  [Online, accessed March 28, 2007, www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_sexEd2006.html]

  3. Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS).  Press Release: 15% Boost for Ineffective Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in President Bush's Proposed FY 2007 Budget.  New York, NY.  2006.

  4. Garrett, Robert T.  "Texas teens lead nation in birth rate."  The Dallas Morning News.  November 5, 2007.  [Online, accessed December 10, 2007, www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-teenbirths_05tex.ART.State.Edition2.4238fb3.html#]

  5. AGI State Center.  Contraception Counts:  Texas.  November 1, 2005.  [Online, accessed December 13, 2006, www.gutmacher.org/pubs/state_data/states/texas.html]

  6. Who Decides? A State-by-State Review of Abortion and Reproductive Rights, 2001, National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) and NARAL Foundation.

  7. Educ. ¡± 28.004 (West 1996).

  8. Who Decides?, 2001, NARAL and NARAL Foundation.

  9. STDs/HIV. Educ. ¡± 28.004 (West 1996).

  10. Stutz, Terrence.  "Texas picks textbooks that stress abstinence."  The Dallas Morning News, November 6, 2004.  [Online, accessed January 3, 2007, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002083822_gays06.html]

  11. AGI.  U.S. Teenage Pregnacy Statistics: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity.

  12. AGI.  "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among American Youth: Incidence and Prevalence Estimates."  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. v36(1).  January 2004 [Online, accessed March 28, 2007, www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3600604.pdf]

  13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics.  "Births: Preliminary Data for 2006." Volume 56, number 7.  November 2007.  [Online, accessed November 6, 2007, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_07.pdf]

  14. Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.  "Impacts of Four Title V, Section 510 Abstinence Education Programs."  Document No. PR07-07, April 2007. [Online, accessed July 31, 2007, http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/impactabstinence.pdf]

  15. AGI.  Facts on Sex Education in the United States.

  16. Ibid.