Because nothing is more interesting to the media than sexy, sexy sex among nubile and hormone-ridden teenagers, today's papers are abuzz with reports about a new study on the effectiveness of abstinence-only sex education. A new study showed that focus groups of sixth and seventh grade students were more likely to delay having sex when given a specific type of abstinence-only sex education. And since we just saw a bunch of studies last year proving that abstinence-only sex ed doesn't work, your SparkNotes editors couldn't help wondering what made this one so different.
The answer, as it turns out, is simple: The more effective program didn't treat students like a bunch of horny idiots.
Where the ineffective abstinence-only sex ed programs of yesterday included heavy moralizing and a fair amount of misinformation—including the crazypants claim that touching someone else's naughty parts could cause pregnancy—this other program included medically accurate information and no finger-wagging. But all that data is complicated, so your SparkNotes editors have gone ahead and made a quick, easy guide to the dos and don'ts of effective abstinence education.
With cartoons!
DO encourage students to wait until they're mature enough to handle the risks and consequences of sex.
DON'T tell them to wait until marriage or else, which is unrealistic for most people.
DO provide accurate information about birth control when asked.
DON'T spread misinformation just because you want to scare teenagers away from sex.
DO be straightforward about the reasons why it's a good idea to wait to have sex.
DON'T tell kids that having sex makes them bad people or diminishes their value as human beings.
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