States Rejecting "Abstinence-Only" Funding

(CBS)  In the sexually-charged world of teenagers, it can be tough to just say, "no."

"It's difficult to really be abstinent until marriage because it's a lot of different things pulling at you when you're a teenager," 16-year-old Kristen Brown explains.

CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports the forces pulling at America's teens include the tribulations of idols and icons from pop-culture; like the recent news that Britney Spears' 16-year old sister is pregnant.

All those influences have driven Congress and the Bush administration to push "abstinence-only" education. The government has provided states a billion dollars during the past decade for abstinence-only programs.

But many say it just doesn't work, and they point to the teen birth rate's first rise in 15 years as proof.

A growing number of states are taking a stand and actually rejecting federal abstinence-only funds, reports Attkisson. New Mexico just became the 15th.

"The governors are saying; 'Even if this administration is going to continue to push abstinence-only, we in the states are going to do the right thing by teens and actually give them the information they need to actually prevent an unintended pregnancy,'" said Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

No state requires abstinence-only education in school. The federal money they're giving up is for outside groups to promote abstinence. Giving up the funds is more of a symbolic gesture by governors who believe kids need to know about birth control too.

Attkisson says the states are split as to exactly what they want taught in schools; Fourteen require both abstinence and contraception be taught in sex ed. Nineteen states only require abstinence, but contraception may be taught. Seventeen states don't tell their local school boards what to do.

Those who want teens to wait to have sex are upset that so many states are rejecting the federal abstinence funds.

"I think they're the victims of a huge lobbying effort on behalf of the contraception education proponents, who truly do not want abstinence education to exist," says Elayne Bennett, of the Best Friends Foundation.

But as the adults passionately debate their kids' private lives, the teens themselves are left to wrestle with the pressures and problems of young life.

"So many people have had sex and had sexual experiences, so you sort of feel left out," says Kristen.

[bruinsbstn]

It is ridiculous and so sad that so many states have rejected federal funding for abstinence-only programs. This is exactly why are society is so corrupt and immoral. It starts with the corruption of the young. What kind of a message do we send teenagers when we teach them about so-called "safe ***"? You want to avoid AIDS, dont have *** until you are married. The world today seems to think that condoms reduce the spread of AIDS. Research in one African country where condoms have been promoted and widely used indicates that AIDS has risen there. How can this be? Because more people are engaging in more *** more frequently. With so much *** out there no wonder why AIDS is on the increase. Pope Paul VI said that contraception would lead to the breakdown of the family and even to abortion. How? A married mad goes to have an affair and in his own mind he thinks it will be safe *** because he can use a condom. So off he goes to have an affair and who suffers? The wife and children suffer and the family breaksdown. These children then are at an increase risk to follow such immoral behavior. A couple uses a contraceptive and what happens when it fails? The more likely for an abortion..that''s why happens since they already acknowledged they don''t want a child that''s why they uses contraception. So there you have it...contraception is the root of so many evils today and is the devils tool in the world!

[bruinsbstn]

It is ridiculous and so sad that so many states have rejected federal funding for abstinence-only programs. This is exactly why are society is so corrupt and immoral. It starts with the corruption of the young. What kind of a message do we send teenagers when we teach them about so-called "safe ***"? You want to avoid AIDS, dont have *** until you are married. The world today seems to think that condoms reduce the spread of AIDS. Research in one African country where condoms have been promoted and widely used indicates that AIDS has risen there. How can this be? Because more people are engaging in more *** more frequently. With so much *** out there no wonder why AIDS is on the increase. Pope Paul VI said that contraception would lead to the breakdown of the family and even to abortion. How? A married mad goes to have an affair and in his own mind he thinks it will be safe *** because he can use a condom. So off he goes to have an affair and who suffers? The wife and children suffer and the family breaksdown. These children then are at an increase risk to follow such immoral behavior. A couple uses a contraceptive and what happens when it fails? The more likely for an abortion..that''s why happens since they already acknowledged they don''t want a child that''s why they uses contraception. So there you have it...contraception is the root of so many evils today and is the devils tool in the world!

[closethippy1]

*** in my previous post means S.E.X, *** it!

[closethippy1]

closethippy1, it doesnt matter if God is who people say he is or not, the principles that were put down are excellent..to discard one because people don''''t believe in the other is straight out stupid,, IF we loved one another as ourselves we would not have all this hell.. IF we tried to understand each other instead of only looking from our own reference module then we would have a totally different world.. We must NOT throw out the baby with the bath water, or do we then throw away all sport just because some sports men rape women or get drunk and beat people up, the idea of sports is fantastic it is good for you, so we gleam all that is good and go on..

Posted by Gaye5 at 07:57 PM : Jan 07, 2008


How I wish people would look at religion that way, too. Every religion has its wisdoms and they all should learn from one another. No one should be certain that their religion is it, or that the other religions are false or not as good.
To be humble enough to recognize that is also to be humble enough not to impose your own set of religious based moralities on others.
Abstinence-only *** education has failed because, frankly, *** has nothing to do with "morality". How do you judge or punish a 4 year-old girl who enjoys humping an arm chair for half an hour because it feels good?
*** is part of us almost from the day we are born and as such we will try to learn about it at our own discretion.
There''s nothing to feel guilty about that.

[likeitis5050]

Just remove the safety net for kids who choose to toy with s.ex to the point of pregnancy or disease....Social Services is ever ready to jump in and pay for the pregnancy, childcare, medical care, and education incentives when a kid finds out, too late, why having s.ex before she can take care of yourself is not a good idea. Our government refuses to make families accountable for their children....and it would put too many useless SRS workers out of business. Plus no one wants to see an innocent new born pay for some stupid teenager''s irresponsibilty. Our country is not ready to hand the consequences of children having children back to the parents...we have too many adults still attached to the nip.ples of government handouts to change now. Teaching children to wait until they are fully adult before engaging in intimate s.exu.al relations is not a religious issue. It''s about teaching children responsibility and being accoutable for the choices they make every day. It would be a horse of a different color if so many weren''t depending on some government program to bail them out every time they mess up. Remove the government programs and you have parents taking a vested interest in how many babies get added to a family by teens...and a remarkable reduction in STDs. It''s unrealistic to think this concept will be adapted in huge numbers on its own at this point...the horse is out of the barn and running the farm.

[michellem99-2009]

My Dad says *If ye use others right then They use ye right.* It is his way of the golden rule. I was never in the church as a child. Common sense. Gaye I wrote the truth as I went thru it and ye have no idea how hard it was to bear my soul on that rapist story. I was in trars but I had to to wake others up Yes in America we are abused as children. I am for children not having sexx here is sexx. I am 53. I want children to learn and be children. No sexx. The girl gets her period and she knows why. I had a class mate years ago she felt left out. Never got her period,we all did. For the female it is a rite of passage. My mother she asked me whats wrong with my sister. Mum had no idea. I asked had her period started. Mum did yer tell her. No yer didn''t. I said she will before I go home. Mum did not get her the items my sister needed. I gave me mine.

[kansas1946]

Those who want teens to wait to have *** are upset that so many states are rejecting the federal abstinence funds.

"I think they''re the victims of a huge lobbying effort on behalf of the contraception education proponents, who truly do not want abstinence education to exist," says Elayne Bennett, of the Best Friends Foundation.

********************************

Oh, yes, it is one of those "vast left-wing conspiracies" again. It is all of those over-sexed liberals just wanting all of the kids to screw their brains out from age 12 on. It is the evil Satanists just wanting kids to get pregnant so they can murder their babies by abortion.
You know, I am so sick of these crazy freaks and their "abstinence only" mantra I could vomit.

[gaye5]

Gidday RowdyTexan2 and you are right, Males are natural born sexual preditors, and your own *** drive and curiosity will make you want to experience ***.I say the same, don''t let yourself be used like a toilet..and yes there is a natural drive but there is also something like control also, and dont get yourself in any position to get into trouble, it can lead to to much misery not only for ones self but the offspring from this experiment..
As I said, if we only had one sexual partner then we would not get these diseases.. However I will not judge others simply because I was brought up in the country in NZ and married at 17, goodness knows what could have happened if I had lived in town and not married till much later.. I simply feel that we do ourselves and our future wives/husbands a disservice if we have many partners and isn''t this where they say that cervical cancer comes from and cancer of the ***/prostate..

[gaye5]

RowdyTexan2 I agree with you but most religions do say to not have sexx before marriage, and we are now finding out why we should not have many partners, and that knowledge is disease..

[gaye5]

Sorry finewoven, that was meant for closethippy1