Comments on: “Alpha Dems” Neuter Themselves http://www.republicoft.com/2007/06/08/so-much-for-the-alpha-dems/ Black. Gay. Father. Vegetarian. Buddhist. Liberal. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:00:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: First Freedom First http://www.republicoft.com/2007/06/08/so-much-for-the-alpha-dems/#comment-127618 First Freedom First Fri, 08 Jun 2007 20:46:13 +0000 http://www.republicoft.com/2007/06/08/so-much-for-the-alpha-dems/#comment-127618 There is no question: abstinence education is an attempt to insert religious ideology into America’s public schools. Over and over again, narrow religious interest groups seek to impose their Biblical interpretations to justify religiously-based sex-education programs. For example, Focus on the Family asserts that “The Bible states repeatedly that sex outside one-man-one-woman marriage is dangerous and unacceptable.” While respecting peoples personal religious beliefs, public schools need to practice academic integrity, and teach public health grounded in public health, not religion. The facts are that abstinence-only education programs don’t work. According to Planned Parenthood, “88 percent of students who pledged virginity in middle school and high school still engage in premarital sex.” Furthermore, abstinence-only programs leave students in ignorance, increasing their risks for contracting life-threatening STDs like HIV/AIDS. Teens deserve comprehensive and accurate sex-education that provides the information they need to be safest and stay healthiest. In addition to depriving teens about essential health information, abstinence-only programs dangerously assume a heterosexual relationship, and further potentially damaging stereotypes about men and women. Abstinence-only education programs demonstrate the dangers of blending religious ideology with publicly-funded programs. Public schools must give our children the best possible education, without preferring one religious tradition over others. American Tax dollars should go to education that teaches health and safety, not religious ideology. To learn more and sign the coolest petition on this issue and others you may care about, visit www.firstfreedomfirst.org. There is no question: abstinence education is an attempt to insert religious ideology into America’s public schools. Over and over again, narrow religious interest groups seek to impose their Biblical interpretations to justify religiously-based sex-education programs. For example, Focus on the Family asserts that “The Bible states repeatedly that sex outside one-man-one-woman marriage is dangerous and unacceptable.” While respecting peoples personal religious beliefs, public schools need to practice academic integrity, and teach public health grounded in public health, not religion.

The facts are that abstinence-only education programs don’t work. According to Planned Parenthood, “88 percent of students who pledged virginity in middle school and high school still engage in premarital sex.” Furthermore, abstinence-only programs leave students in ignorance, increasing their risks for contracting life-threatening STDs like HIV/AIDS. Teens deserve comprehensive and accurate sex-education that provides the information they need to be safest and stay healthiest. In addition to depriving teens about essential health information, abstinence-only programs dangerously assume a heterosexual relationship, and further potentially damaging stereotypes about men and women.

Abstinence-only education programs demonstrate the dangers of blending religious ideology with publicly-funded programs. Public schools must give our children the best possible education, without preferring one religious tradition over others. American Tax dollars should go to education that teaches health and safety, not religious ideology.

To learn more and sign the coolest petition on this issue and others you may care about, visit http://www.firstfreedomfirst.org.

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