Obama’s budget focuses on teen ‘safe sex’ at the expense of abstinence

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama believes educating students about safe sex is more important than explaining how to avoid sex in the first place.

That was the message Obama sent this week when his proposed budget cut funding for sexual risk avoidance (abstinence education) and moved the money to sex-ed programs that stress contraception, WorldMag.com reports.

The National Abstinence Education Association contends the move is not only a bad idea, but “violates a 2010 congressional mandate to give states $50 million in Title V grants for” abstinence education, according to the news site.

“Using Title V funds for programs that are not compliant with the Congressional definition for abstinence education is a violation of congressional intent and therefore, outside the authority of this budgetary directive,” according to a NAEA statement.

“Students in successful (abstinence education) programs are more likely to delay sex than their peers, and if they are sexually active, have fewer partners and are no less likely to use a condom.”

The U.S. Government currently spends 16 times more money on contraceptive-based sex ed programs than on abstinence sex ed. Despite the difference, proponents of abstinence ed point to evidence that teens are receptive to delaying sexual activity.

The number of 15-to-19 year old girls having sex decreased by 8 percent , from 51 percent in 1988 to 43 percent in 2010. Sex among boys in the same age range decreased 18 percent to 42 percent in 2010, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data cited by WorldMag.com.

“The president’s move to eliminate … abstinence programs is completely out of touch with … what is in the best interest of America’s youth,” NAEA President Valerie Huber said. “It’s troubling that the president would want to prevent students from receiving the encouragement and skills to avoid sexual risk.”

 

This is a copy of the full article provided by EAGnews

You may also like...