Do Abstinence Programs Work? (at Issue)

Should schools be responsible for providing sex educations programs for all students? Or should parents talk to their teens about sex? Does an abstinence-only education violate a student's rights? Furthermore, are abstinence-only programs an effective source of pregnancy prevention? Readers will debate the pros and cons of modern sex education as they learn about the varying perspectives surrounding this hot topic from legislators, educators, and medical professionals. The US debate concerning the most appropriate type of sex education for school-age youth-- abstinence or comprehensive-- continues to rage with no indication of subsiding. One thing has remained consistent, however, and that is the public support for sex education in general. The authors included in At Issue: Do Abstinence Programs Work? present a variety of opinions surrounding the subject of abstinence sex education, including its effect on teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, federal funding of sex education programs, and what topics should be included in the curriculum. -- Page 10 of volume