WASHINGTON — Continued federal funding of abstinence-only sex education programs in public schools was debated before a House committee Wednesday amid questions about whether the government should sponsor an educational program that many experts say doesn’t work.
Many of the 11 witnesses who appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advocated instead for comprehensive programs that include information about how teenagers can protect themselves from pregnancy and disease if they choose to engage in sexual activity.
“The concern that many of us have with abstinence-only programs is the idea that one size fits all,” said Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-District of Columbia, a member of the panel.
Both sides agreed that abstinence should be the core of any sex education program for teens. Concerns were raised, though, over how much information students should receive about condom use and methods of protecting against sexually transmitted diseases.
“I see an ideological discussion vs. a reality discussion,” said Rep. Diane E. Watson, D-Calif. “We deal with the realities of our diversified communities.”
Proponents of sex-abstinence education argued that society should set high standards for teenage sexual behavior, with programs focusing on the emotional, physical and societal repercussions of sex outside of marriage.
But several witnesses emphasized that despite 11 years of federally funded abstinence programs at a cost of more than $1.3 billion, teens are still having sex and contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
Those who support comprehensive plans said teens should get the information they need to protect themselves.
