House Adds $50,000,000 to Abstinence-Only programs Under Labor, HHS, Education Bill.

June 16, 2000 8:01 PM

House Adds $50,000,000 to Abstinence-Only programs Under Labor, HHS, Education Bill.

What's next, funding for the Easter Bunny?
posted by alana (5 comments total)

Do we really need the government trying to convince adults to wait until marriage? Sexuality is a part of our culture and a significant part of our identity. Sex is not evil. But it can be dangerous. We should be spending that same money on educating people on contraceptives and STD prevention -- not on abstinence-only programs.

Young Americans who hear sermon after sermon about abstinence will still have sex. Trust me on that. But young Americans who know how to use contraceptives will at least have safe sex.
posted by veruca at 10:16 PM on June 17, 2000

I just printed out letters that I'm gonna fax to my representatives regarding the issue.
posted by veruca at 10:31 PM on June 17, 2000

Hey, personally I think the Easter Bunny could use the cash. He does good work! And unlike these abstinence-only programs, he's very familiar with the pressure of sexual desire. Maybe he'd be willing to help.
posted by Ezrael at 9:01 AM on June 18, 2000

iirc, it's been proved that any effect an abstinence-only sex ed program has is short term - on the order of six months. After that there is a slight increase in sexual activity.

In short, the House just voted to send fifty million right into /dev/null.

Umm, can I have some? How 'bout I establish an anti-smoking program that consists of yelling at school kids about how cigarettes are bad for them and they really should wait until they're 21 to try them?

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:10 PM on June 18, 2000

Dude, I don't need to think of the Easter Bunny getting some. GET OUT OF MY BRAIN.
posted by solistrato at 6:34 AM on June 19, 2000