Poll:Parents Back Abstinence Education

A new survey shows the majority of parents across the U.S., regardless of
their economic or ethnic background, support abstinence education over
comprehensive sex education. The National Abstinence Education Association
is touting a new Zogby International poll that shows American parents favor
abstinence education over comprehensive sex education by a two-to-one
margin.

The National Abstinence Education
Association(NAEA) is drawing
attention to the Zobgy survey, which claims when parents
become aware of what abstinence education teaches versus what comprehensive
sex education teaches, support for abstinence programs jumps from 40 percent
to 60 percent, while support for condom-based "safe-sex" programs drops from
50 percent to 30 percent.

NAEA executive director Valerie Huber says she is convinced there has been a
"misinformation campaign" about abstinence education throughout the media.

"Once parents understood that abstinence education is really holistic and
includes some of the core components, such as building healthy
relationships, strengthening self-control, developing skills that will
improve their chances for a healthy future marriage, and even the benefits
of choosing abstinence after being sexually active," Huber notes, "parents
want that message given to their teens."

The NAEA official says she hopes the results of the Zogby poll will inform
the debate in state legislatures and Congress over funding for sex education
in schools. "Most parents do reject the so-called 'comprehensive' sex
education approach because it promotes and demonstrates condom use," she
asserts. "They think it sends a mixed message and it crosses the line to
actually encourage sexual activity."

Two out of three parents indicate that the mixed message of comprehensive
sex education "is not something that they want their children to receive,"
Huber points out. She says most parents want their kids to hear a strong
abstinence message and, if there is a discussion of contraception, that it
should detail the "realistic limitations" of condoms and other
contraceptives in preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

Talk Show America 5/09/2007