Abstinence Education Covers All of Sex's Consequences

Monday, December 17, 2007

In 2005, The Post reported that Palm Beach County schools needed to revamp their sex education classes because births to girls 10-14 had nearly doubled from 0.6 to 1.1 per thousand. Here we are in 2007, and the birth rate for this age group quietly has decreased to 0.7. What can we learn from this? One year does not make a trend.

Now, The Post reports that teen birth rates are up and the "experts" blame abstinence education ("U.S. teen births rise for first time in 15 years," Dec. 6). Again, what is to be learned? We must stop throwing out the baby with the bathwater when it comes to abstinence-until-marriage education. Prior to 2006, Palm Beach County had seen 17 years of decreasing teen birth rates. And yes, this reduction occurred while abstinence was being taught in public schools.

Rather than simply focusing on contraception, abstinence education focuses on whole person health, teaching not only the possible physical consequences of sex, but also the emotional, mental and social consequences of sexual activity outside of marriage.

Teens and parents need to be taught the truth. The truth is that while condoms may protect you some of the time, abstinence protects you all of the time. The truth is abstinence-until-marriage education works.

BEAU HEYMAN, Project manager, Be the One

West Palm Beach