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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWTFF? Dept. of HHS backs an abstinence-only sex ed program in S. Carolina
from Mother Jones:
Thought "abstinence only" education was a thing of the past, at least at the national level? Looks like it's still part of the officially sanctioned curriculum from the US Department of Health and Human Services for teen pregnancy prevention.
The HHS Office of Adolescent Health lists the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education as one of the 31 "evidence-based programs" that "met the effectiveness criteria" for preventing teenage pregnancy. RH Reality Check flagged its inclusion on Tuesday, noting that the program was quietly added to the list sometime in April. The program is based in South Carolina and focuses on schools in the state.
The Heritage program is aimed at middle and high schoolers and advocates abstaining from sex until marriage. Heritage Community Services, which created the curriculum, describes its programs as "a logic model that addresses the risky behavior of adolescents from the perspective of changing the behavior that is causing the problem rather than dealing with the consequences of the risky actions."
The HHS fact sheet on the program lists five different sections, on topics like "sexual abstinence" and "family formation." The "STD Facts" section "discusses how to refuse sex in different settings." Students are also taught a "four-step plan for resisting sexual activity," and provided with "role-playing exercises to help students practice it." In other words, don't count on learning anything along the lines of what young people should do if they are having sex. There's no talk about condoms or birth control. And if you're gay, forget about it. ...................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/05/abstinence-only-education-alive-and-well-hhs
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)pull funding from red states like South Carolina that do not comply with logic.
Evidently, the 28 programs being funded up to now were science based and comprehensive. Three abstinence-only programs were recently added.
No notice, not even a press release to announce the addition of three programs to the coveted list of 28 deemed effective and carrying the HHS seal of approval. Until now, this list was the holy grail of the Administrations commitment to a science-based approach to teen pregnancy prevention and a directive for grantees of the Presidents Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI).
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/01/1087917/-Obama-Administration-Quietly-Endorses-Dangerous-Ab-Only-Curriculum
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)outside of religious schools???
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)LASlibinSC
(269 posts)kow the half of it! As God as my witness, you can't swing at cat without hitting 3-4 16yr olds with a baby on HER hip! And as for funding clawback, we're just above Mississippi in testing, but then again a good portion aren't tested because they drop out to be Mama's! Daddys in the wind...These girls don't have a prayer as it is. Between Nikki Haley, Graham and DeMint it's a race to the bottom of the corruption barrel. Yet, voters are content to keep this beautiful state red as a foxes ass! Sometimes I think they deliberately keep education on the back burner so they can have a deep bench of teabaggers. Damn, thats an awful thing to say. I love this state and the people here exemplify southern hospitality. The polititians are ASSHOLES! Sorry about the rant