Sex education focuses on abstinence

MENLO PARK, Calif. – Abstinence has increasingly become a focus of sex education in the nation’s schools, according to new studies. More than a third of U.S. school districts teach abstinence alone, while a majority urge students to delay intercourse until marriage but to use birth control and practice safe sex if they don’t.

“Abstinence, teaching children to wait to have sex, is a core element of most sexuality education programs today,” said Tina Hoff of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which conducted research along with the Guttmacher Institute.

The twin surveys polled secondary school principals and district superintendents.

Amy Stephens, a spokeswoman for the National Coalition of Abstinence Education, said, “Ten years ago, abstinence wasn’t even considered; it was laughed at. A lot of avenues have opened up for kids to hear this message. That’s a good thing.”