Discuss two reasons why studies have shown that abstinence-only sex education programs have failed to reduce rates of sexual activity, unintended pregnancy, or sexually-transmitted infections among teens

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Responses should consider:
- Abstinence-only sex education has focused on instructing students not to have sex at all.
- Abstinence-only sex education teaches that young people should wait until marriage to become sexually active.
- Such education includes the assumption that if teens wait until marriage to have sex, they have no need for information about how to avoid unwanted pregnancy or how to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.
- Such programs teach that the only way to avoid unwanted pregnancy or STIs is not to have sex.
- Such programs teach that the only acceptable type of sexual relationship is a monogamous marriage in which both partners are faithful to one another.
- Such programs teach that sexual activity outside of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.
- It's been found that when school districts attempt to implement abstinence-only sex education programs, the outcome has been the dissemination of inaccurate information.
- Such programs fail to give young people the information they need to make responsible choices.
- It's likely that students taking a college course in human sexuality have not received correct or adequate sexual information during their teenage years.