For years now Congress has poured some $176 million+ into "abstinence until marriage" programs all over the country. The programs start at the beginning of junior high but don't continue through high school. The purpose of the programs was a long-term study to see if students taking abstinence courses would remain sexually inactive longer than students who weren't taking the classes.
What did the study find? That despite the course most students began sexual activity not only while taking the courses, but at the same general age that non-participant students first had sexual intercourse. The average age for the loss of virginity is 14 years old and nine months. The congress study provides evidence that the age for first sexual encounters is gradually getting younger, despite these courses.
So my question is, why the hell are we wasting money in these programs? Tell kids sex is bad and then move on. [Not that I believe that!] I don't know, it just seems like a waste of money especially if it isn't doing any good...
[ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265940,00.html ]
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I never would have guessed that the age of virginity loss would be so low! Maybe that's just my naivety- but that's an insane piece of information! If anything, programs should continue past that age into high school. I know I had a class my freshman year that emphasized the importance of abstinence and safe sex, and sexually transmitted diseases... I don't know how many, if any, students were effected by the class- but the class is certainly worth it if students actually did become all the wiser from it!
"I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."
-Van Gogh
I know, I was shocked at first, but as a realist, I am surprised it isn't lower.
-S
visit this blog: http://www.progressiveu.org/175107-slavery-still-exists-be-an-abolitionist
...it's lower than 15? Wtf, what is your source? O:
the source for this was an article on foxnews.com, but the survey was done by the US congress, so i doubt it is misrepresented... i'm actually surprised it isn't lower...
visit this blog: http://www.progressiveu.org/175107-slavery-still-exists-be-an-abolitionist
Can you link me to the study?
ermm, sure here are the links..
this is the one I penned the blog from-
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265940,00.html
That is REALLY young. Scary.
And scarier- if it's absitnence only, they don't even know how to protect themselves.
I've been arguin against absitnence only since I was like...14. Glad to see I was right.
told ya so, government.
Hail The PitGoddess!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/the-pitgoddess
I'm all for absitinence if it is a personal choice, but asking schools or governments to keep kids from having sex is the most idoitic thing I've ever heard of. It just won't work! -sigh
-S
visit this blog: http://www.progressiveu.org/175107-slavery-still-exists-be-an-abolitionist
i think the best way to keep kids away from something is to never introduce them to it. if they dont know what a cigarette is the less likely they would try it. other than that, i'd say its better to teach kids about safeR sex rather than NO sex.
...is to lock your kids in a room and feed them through a slot. If you expect your kid to interract with other humans, they are going eventually going to hear about things that you may not want. And, since humans are naturally curious, they are going to try to fill that void of knowledge by whatever means are at hand. If you haven't prepared them to deal with the information, they're going to experiment, and THAT'S where the trouble begins.
There is no excuse not to provide kids with information. None. In fact, I would go so far to say that it is not only foolish, but cruel to intentionally keep your children ignorant of the world around them.
percivale
I agree. I was one of those very sheltered kids and I learned through experiences and circumstances that could have been avoided had my parents told me a darn thing. Instead keeping me in the dark about everything including sex caused me to waltz my curiousity into a dangerous place....
It is cruel to do that to kids.
-S
visit this blog: http://www.progressiveu.org/175107-slavery-still-exists-be-an-abolitionist
Wow! I totally agree with percivale on this one! I could not have said it better myself! If you don't teach your children, someone will. And, they might teach your children things that aren't true or that you don't want them learning. So, it is important to teach your children about these things, and teach them how to act. Do you want to mold your children, or do you want the rest of the world to mold them?
~pyrochica
Sheltering your kid from everything isn't going to fix anything. I've known people that were very sheltered and got a bit of freedom and went nuts.
Better to teach kids hoe to think, make good choices and accept responsibility for those choices.
Hail The PitGoddess!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/the-pitgoddess
Thats very true...
visit this blog: http://www.progressiveu.org/175107-slavery-still-exists-be-an-abolitionist
"For years now Congress has poured some $176 million+ into "abstinence until marriage" programs all over the country"
Of course that wouldn't work! People are so dumb today. I didn't even need a poll to predict that is wouldn't work.
Insert Shameless Self-Promotion Here -- http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ada-castellon
That is crazy but not unbelievable.
July :)