Flutterby™! : Go, Waxman!

Go, Waxman!

2004-12-02 20:04:12.22412+00 by Dan Lyke 4 comments

Abstinence programs present false, misleading information, lawmaker says:

Rep. Henry Waxman says federally funded abstinence education programs that are used in 25 states contain false and misleading information about contraception, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases.

[ related topics: Children and growing up Sexual Culture Current Events Education ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2004-12-03 00:08:00.205052+00 by: polly

oh, brother...at least these abstinence programs are trying to do SOMETHING about teenage sex, pregnancy, STD's, HIV. i've listened in on the Why Know program. i didn't hear anything that was contrary to what i knew, i even learned a few things i DID'T know.

why don't the politicians get excited about the lack of money for education?

#Comment Re: made: 2004-12-03 18:13:22.667676+00 by: Dan Lyke

Waxman's point, and it's a good one, is that those few things you didn't know that you learned from the Why kNOw program are probably wrong, and that you didn't hear anything contrary to what you already knew might indicate that you've got some misconceptions.

Further, it's well documented that programs that teach abstinence without teaching safe sex practices lead to increases in teen pregnancy and disease. And, I've got personal experience with this last part, once kids learn that one thing they were told in a program is wrong they discount all of it. I've had to work through the issues of this with drug programs with at least one teenager.

#Comment Re: made: 2004-12-06 18:00:41.789868+00 by: Dan Lyke

Waxman's page has a link to the report (PDF).

According to this report, among the lies and misrepresentations that you may have heard from the "Why kNOw" program:

"In heterosexual sex, condoms fail to prevent HIV approximately 31% of the time."
It uses the alleged condom failure rate of 14% as an indicate of actual condom failure. For those who use condoms scrupulously, the failure rate is closer to 2%, and that's over time, not for a single use. It then tries to use that misrepresentation and the comparative size of sperm to HIV as a justification for claiming that condoms are ineffective against HIV transmission.
It applies a specifically and overtly religious message with federal funding dollars.
It makes absurd blanket statements about gender, stereotyping in horrendous ways. No, really, you wouldn't believe me, go and read it for yourself. Including promoting a "bride price", apparently.
It dramatically overstates the risk of cervical cancer from HPV.
It makes other ignorant comments about biology.

#Comment Re: made: 2004-12-07 00:22:10.399413+00 by: polly

dan,i read some of the article....i am happy to report that the ideals spouted in the article claiming that the abstinence programs preach/make blanket statements about gender and so forth are NOT practiced by the Why Know group who comes to our school. our girls would not put up with that kind of nonsense...they would laugh Why KNow out of the school. put this visual in your mind of our girls....yo'Moma Big Bertha of the Butt Sista's.

our students would not understand the percentages therefore are not used as examples during the presentation by the Why KNow counselor. i personally would not care to trust a condom to protect me from someone who has HIV, STDs, herpes...whatever and this is not the message our group is presenting.

religion IS NOT an issue or any reference made to a higher being...it would not be allowed in our schools. Why KNow knows that.

i am curious where the abstinence programs that are alluded to in waxman's article are and what states allow them into the schools. i can tell you it isn't at my school.