Bloodless Coup

We've been telling them this for ages

GAO report critical of abstinence only sex education. Some addition tidbits:

According to Columbia University researchers, virginity pledge programs increase pledge-takers' risk for STIs and pregnancy. The study concluded that 88 percent of pledge-takers initiated sex prior to marriage even though some delayed sex for a while. Rates of STIs among pledge-takers and non-pledgers were similar, even though pledge-takers initiated sex later. Pledge-takers were less likely to seek STI testing and less likely to use contraception when they did have sex.[20,21]

Evaluations of the effectiveness of state-funded abstinence-only-until-marriage programs found no delay in first sex. In fact, of six evaluations that assessed short-term changes in behavior, three found no changes, two found increased sexual activity from pre- to post-test, and one showed mixed results. Five evaluations looked for but found no long-term impact in reducing teens' sexual activity.[9]

Analysis of data from Youth Risk Behavior surveys found that sexual activity among high school youth declined significantly from 1991 to 1997, prior to large-scale funding of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, but changed little from 1999 to 2003 with federal funding of such programs.[22]

Analysis of federally funded abstinence-only curricula found that over 80 percent of curricula supported by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services contained false, misleading, or distorted information about reproductive health. Specifically, they conveyed:

• False information about the effectiveness of contraceptives;
• False information about the risks of abortion;
• Religious beliefs as scientific fact;
• Stereotypes about boys and girls as scientific fact; and
• Medical and scientific errors of fact.[23]

Past Bloodless Coup posts containing references to "abstinence only".

And yes, I'm busier than busy, and getting ready to be out of town for a few days. Sorry for the light blogging.