In Their Own Words:
What Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Say
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Below are some examples of what young people are being taught by these federally funded programs. All of the examples come from curricula that are in some way supported by taxpayer funds. Discourage Condom Use“The first player spins the cylinder, points the gun to his/her head, and pulls the trigger. He/she has only one in six chances of being killed. But if one continues to perform this act, the chamber with the bullet will ultimately fall into position under the hammer, and the game ends as one of the players dies. Relying on condoms is like playing Russian roulette.” Me, My World, My Future , Revised HIV material, p. 258 “There are always risks associated with it [premarital sex], even dangerous, life-threatening risks such as HIV/AIDS. Using contraceptives does not change this for teenagers.” FACTS Middle School, Student Handbook, p. 50 “Game Plan does not promote the use of contraceptives for teens. No contraceptive device is guaranteed to prevent pregnancy. Additionally, students who do not choose to exercise self-control to remain abstinent are not likely to exercise self-control in the use of a contraceptive device.” Game Plan, Coach's Clipboard, p. 27 “Even more widespread than disease are the emotional scarring and deep wounds that come out of broken relationships. No matter how strong a condom is, it won't protect you from a broken heart.” Game Plan, Student Workbook, p. 36 “Couples who use condoms for birth control experience a first-year failure rate of about 15% in preventing pregnancies. This means that over a period of five years, there could be a 50% chance or higher of getting pregnant with condoms used as the birth control method.” Choosing the Best PATH , Leader Guide, p. 18 “At the least, the chances of getting pregnant with a condom are 1 out of 6.” Me, My World, My Future , Revised HIV material, p. 257 (When used consistently and correctly, condoms are 98 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.1) “Condoms provide no proven reduction in protection against Chlamydia, the most common bacterial STD.” Choosing the Best PATH , Leader Guide, p. 18 (According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when used consistently and correctly, condoms reduce the risk of STDs, including Chlamydia.2) “No competent educator should use the term ‘safe sex' to imply that condoms make sexual activity safe…What do you think using the term ‘safe sex' implies in a discussion of condoms. Do condoms make sexual activity moral? Legal? Healthy?” Facing Reality, Parent-Teacher Guide, p. 54 Contain Medically Inaccurate and Biased Language about AIDS“AIDS can be transmitted by skin-to-skin contact.” Reasonable Reasons to Wait, Teacher's Guide, Unit 5, p. 19 (In truth, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can be transmitted only through direct exchange of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or breast milk.) “Many homosexual activists are frustrated and desperate over their own situation and those of loved ones. Many are dying, in part, due to ignorance. Educators who struggle to overcome ignorance and instill self-mastery in their students will inevitably lead them to recognize that some people with AIDS are now suffering because of the choices they made.” Facing Reality, Parent-Teacher Guide, p. 19 “That means the virus [HIV] may be in your body a long time (from a few months to as long as 10 years or more) before it can be detected, either by a test or by physical symptoms.” Sex Respect, Student Workbook , p. 60 (In truth, 97% of HIV cases are detectable by a test within three months of infection. 3 The CDC Hotline confirms that HIV cannot live in one's body undetectable for 10 years or longer. 4) Use Biased Language about Abortion“Abortion is not the best choice…because it unfairly penalizes the baby for the bad decision the baby's parents made.” Sex Respect , Teacher Manual, p. 7 Teacher's Question: “What are the possible consequences of choosing to have an abortion?” Suggested Answers: “Feelings of regret, shame, sadness, guilt; physical complications for girl; continued feelings of shame, sadness, regret; death of fetus.” Choosing the Best LIFE , Leader Guide, p. 31 “… the unborn infant is a unique never to be repeated human…” Reasonable Reasons to Wait , Teacher's-Guide, Unit 9, p. 35 Promote Gender Stereotypes as Fact“A young man's natural desire for sex is already strong due to testosterone...females are becoming culturally conditioned to fantasize about sex as well.” Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 11 “Men sexually are like microwaves and women sexually are like crockpots...a woman is stimulated more by touch and romantic words. She is far more attracted by a man's personality while a man is stimulated by sight. A man is usually less discriminating about those to whom he is physically attracted.” WAIT Training, Workshop Manual, p. 37 “Girls need to be aware they may be able to tell when a kiss is leading to something else. The girl may need to put the brakes on first in order to help the boy.” R easonable Reasons to Wait, Student Workbook, p. 96 “A guy who wants to respect girls is distracted by sexy clothes and remembers her for one thing. Is it fair that guys are turned on by their senses and women by their hearts?” Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 94 “One thing that sex education and the media fail to communicate is the power of sex. Spies, who are trained not to give away government secrets, even lose their sensibilities and give in to the power of sex, often because of what a woman is wearing.” WAIT Training, Workshop Manual, p. 86 Use Fear and Shame to Motivate“These are simply natural consequences. For example, if you eat spoiled food, you will get sick. If you jump from a tall building, you will be hurt or killed. If you spend more money than you make, your enslavement to debt affects you and those whom you love. If you have sex outside of marriage, there are consequences for you, your partner and society.” Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 11 “The only safe sex is in a marriage relationship where a man and a woman are faithful to each other for life.” Game Plan , Student Workbook, p. 38 “Teenagers who are sexually active in high school will find that their schoolwork suffers.” Reasonable Reasons to Wait, Student Workbook, p. 41 Question: “What are the risks of being sexually active?” Answer: “Teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, low self-esteem, loss of reputation, feelings of being used.” Choosing the Best PATH, Teacher's Guide, p. 6 “Each time a sexually active person gives that most personal part of himself or herself away, that person can lose a sense of personal value and worth. It all comes down to self-respect.” Choosing the Best PATH, Teacher's Guide, p. 7 The curricula referenced include:• A.C. Green's Game Plan, written by Scott Phelps and Libby Gray, distributed by Project Reality, Glenview, IL. • Choosing the Best PATH (2001) and Choosing the Best LIFE (2003, 2000), written by Bruce Cook, distributed by Choosing the Best, Inc., Atlanta, GA. • Facing Reality (revised edition 1998), written by James R. Coughlin, distributed by Project Reality, Golf, IL. • FACTS —Family Accountability Communicating Teen Sexuality (Middle School and Senior High School Editions, 2000), written by Rose Fuller, Janet McLaughlin, and Andrew Asato, distributed by Northwest Family Services, Portland, OR. • Me, My World, My Future (1993, HIV chapter revised 1998), written by Nancy Roach and LeAnna Benn, distributed by Teen-Aid, Spokane, WA. • Reasonable Reasons to Wait, (revised 2002-03), written by Maureen Gallagher Duran, distributed by A Choice in Education, Chantilly, VA. • Sex Respect, The Option of True Sexual Freedom (2001 edition), written by Coleen Kelly Mast, distributed by Respect, Inc., Homer Glen, IL. • WAIT (Why AM I Tempted) Training (1998) , produced by Friends First, Longmont, CO, distributed by Choosing the Best, Inc., Atlanta, GA and by WAIT Training, Smyrna, GA. Updated March 2006 References
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