Daily Iowan

Issue date: 11/9/06 Section: Metro

Junior-high health class - a bastion of all-too-detailed slide shows of STDs in all their oozing glory, plastic models with moveable parts, and awkward conversations - may take on a new twist.

The Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has expanded its $50 million Abstinence Education Program guidelines to target 20 year-olds; Iowa will receive $318,198 for 2007. The federal program defines abstinence as forgoing sex until marriage.

Karen Kubby, the executive director of the Emma Goldman Clinic, called the new guidelines unrealistic, especially in Iowa City.

"Saying, 'Don't be sexually active from [12 to 29]' is not functional," she said.

However, UI junior Marissa Leone made the decision to abstain from sexual activity until marriage in high school.


( Video feature )

Downloadable files:

Click here for high bandwidth (large video)
Click here for low bandwidth (small video)

Video in QuickTime format, click here for free player download

"It prevents you from having to worry about STDs, and it prevents you from having to worry about getting pregnant," she said, adding her religious beliefs are major factor.

The guidelines are a reaction to rising birth rates in unmarried couples. Of the 4.1 million births in 2004, a record 1.5 million of those were to unmarried parents, according to the National Center for Health statistics.

But abstinence education does not provide an appropriate antidote to the perceived problem, some health officials say. In 2005, the American Psychology Association recommended comprehensive sex education, in lieu of abstinence-only programs, saying the former is more effective in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

"If you would define abstinence appropriately, abstinence education can delay sexual activity," Kubby said. "But when it's done in a way that spreads misinformation or defines sex very narrowly, as some of them do," abstinence programs can be problematic.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools