Is abstinence only education a good way to make abortions rare?

[Amber1901]

Abstinence only education is a joke! I remember from when I was in high school that the people that were more 'active' were the ones from the religious, controlling families. My son, who's almost 17, and I have talked a lot about this stuff. He too has witnessed the most of the time it is the lack of conversation with the children that end up pregnant & turning to abortion. Either lack of education from parents that focus on their own lives, images, work, or non-lienant religious doctrines. I think the most effective education is EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION. --- COMMUNICATION -- Provide them all the information in an informative manner, not bias or truncated. Provide them all the info on what the consequences COULD BE in all possiblities. Of course this is not a one time conversation. My son is sexually active (with one person & that girl was his first time)... I know it because I talk with him. I knew when he lost his virginity. He's told me forever that he was going to wait until he was at least 21 but obviously that didn't occur..... He knows I'd rather him not be but they are very cautious and aware of what the consequences will be. He'll be graduating high school early to go into a private college and does not want to ruin his plans. We regularly talk with him about his choices and that not all birth control works 99.9%. Communication is the issue. In my opinion too many parents don't "parent' and part of parenting is communication. Real communication not a dictatorship. You want to raise a smart & thinking person not a drone.

[VeggieTart5046]

No, the only way to make abortions rare is by preventing unwanted pregnancies. And the best way to do that is to impress upon the kids the importance of using contraception if they choose to engage in sexual activity and that they must use it every single time.If you tell kids condoms don't work and contraceptives have a high failure rate in an attempt to get them to abstain until they're married--and I don't understand what's so magical about that piece of paper--it won't stop them from engaging in sex, but it will stop them from protecting themselves from unwanted results.Is it any wonder that STI rates have gone up, along with the teen birth rate since GWB took over? There is utter proof that abstinence-only is an utter failure.

[ElliottNess5405]

Bush's abstinence only programs have NOT reduced abortions, STD's, or teen pregnancy. It is awful, and is less 'education' and more scare tactics.