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sun_set_bravelyHave I mentioned recently that I adore Women's eNews?
December 4, 2004
WOMENSENEWS--
A congressional study released Thursday reports that some federally funded abstinence sex education courses are imparting misleading and blatantly false information to children in elementary and high schools.
The study, ordered by Congressman Henry Waxman, a Democrat from California, examined 13 courses and found that 11 of them contained information that was completely untrue. Among the lessons: 50 percent of American teen-age gay men are HIV positive, touching someone's genitals can lead to pregnancy and abortion can lead to sterility and suicide.
The report found that in addition to unsupported "facts"--such as one course's claim that in heterosexual sex condoms fail to prevent HIV 30 percent of the time--the abstinence-only curricula reinforce gender stereotypes. One curriculum instructs: "Women gauge their happiness and judge their success on their relationships. Men's happiness and success hinge on their accomplishments."
Under the Bush administration there has been a dramatic increase in federal support for abstinence-only programs. Unlike comprehensive sex education programs, these no-sex-until-marriage programs have not been shown to decrease rates of teen pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. In fiscal year 2005 the federal government will spend $170 million on abstinence-only education, the report said.
-- Robin Hindery.
Official Report-- - The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education
Programs - [Adobe PDF format]: -
http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20041201102153-50247.pdf
December 4, 2004
WOMENSENEWS--
A congressional study released Thursday reports that some federally funded abstinence sex education courses are imparting misleading and blatantly false information to children in elementary and high schools.
The study, ordered by Congressman Henry Waxman, a Democrat from California, examined 13 courses and found that 11 of them contained information that was completely untrue. Among the lessons: 50 percent of American teen-age gay men are HIV positive, touching someone's genitals can lead to pregnancy and abortion can lead to sterility and suicide.
The report found that in addition to unsupported "facts"--such as one course's claim that in heterosexual sex condoms fail to prevent HIV 30 percent of the time--the abstinence-only curricula reinforce gender stereotypes. One curriculum instructs: "Women gauge their happiness and judge their success on their relationships. Men's happiness and success hinge on their accomplishments."
Under the Bush administration there has been a dramatic increase in federal support for abstinence-only programs. Unlike comprehensive sex education programs, these no-sex-until-marriage programs have not been shown to decrease rates of teen pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. In fiscal year 2005 the federal government will spend $170 million on abstinence-only education, the report said.
-- Robin Hindery.
Official Report-- - The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education
Programs - [Adobe PDF format]: -
http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20041201102153-50247.pdf
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-05 06:17 pm (UTC)TPQ