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

[tangerine5290]

Another poster has posted a question asking what liberals have done to make abortion rare. However, if I remember correctly, there are a lot of conservatives out there who are in favor of abstinence only education for teens. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against kids being encouraged to abstain from sex until marriage or until they otherwise find someone special they care about enough with whom to share that first time. However, studies have shown that abstinence only education isn't effective. Not only that, but it's also been shown that most teens who make pledges to wait until marriage to lose their virginity break them. At least with non-abstinence only sex education programs, students are taught about various methods of protection against STDs and unwanted pregnancies, such as condom use, birth control pills, etc. That being said, which education method is more effective in making abortions rare?

[dconstruct5607]

Abstinence Sex-ed is good for nothing except rising STD rates amongst teens, more unwanted teen pregnancies, and promotion of fundamentalist theological principles.

[nehevea11]

Educating people about birth control reduces unwanted pregnancies, and therefore reduces abortions. Also, helping the poor (which conservatives oppose) reduces abortions. Conservatives just want to ban abortion, which won't decrease the demand. The liberals are the ones with the right ideas about how to reduce abortions.

[vindikat4563]

I tried abstinence one time in Amsterdam, it was pretty crazy

[KeithOlbermann]

There isn't one program that will work for all. We as a society need to practice self control more, instant gratification is everywhere, not just in our sex lives. A program that emphasizes facts with character training would be better than just sex ed or just abstinence program.There's not a single kid out there that couldn't put a condom on if they had one. It's not rocket science, they're just too selfish to do it.

[stl_luna_7]

Abstinence only, no. Abstinence along with birth control and other forms of protection. And while they are at it, how about teaching girls about the HPV vaccine?

[FSX9115]

No, it is ineffective. Abstinence-only education is a joke. Telling teenagers to stop being horny by abstaining from sex is paradoxical. They're going to have sex, whether their teacher tells them to or not. The only smart solution is to provide them with the information to engage in healthy, protected sex so that we can avoid more unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

[delphi1478]

No. And is ridiculous to think that it would. Assists in keeping them ignorant. They should be armed with every option available. Information /education is the best way to go. This is a case where ignorance doesn't necessarily equal bliss.

[kikim9681]

You must inform the teens about ALL methods that are out there and available fairly. To only offer one or two is doing a great disservice to our youth. The teens should also be informed on STD's and pregnancy. This should not be kept in the dark. Life happens, and these kids need to know what is going on. By keeping them in the dark, we are asking for unwanted babies that are tossed away or are abused because the kids do not know what is out there. Abstinence is only good if it is followed, how many of you had plan A and had to resort to plan B in anything? These kids deserve to be prepared for the real world.

[rowanvolvo]

"*anything* only" is just a super-naive, doomed-to-failure way to achieve anything.anyway, only those who practice it & continue to practice it are qualified to say anything at all on the subject.