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To the Editor
New York Times
229 West 3rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Once again, Gov. George
W. Bush got it wrong. Only this time it wasn't a pop quiz on foreign
leaders and the cost won't be just a little embarrassment. This time the
health of America's young people is at stake.
In your article "Bush Explains His Opposition to Abortion" (Nov.
22), Gov. Bush restates his support for abstinence-only programs and renews
his attack on contraception and condoms for the prevention of teen pregnancy
and disease. In doing so, Gov. Bush aligns himself with those who put conservative
ideology above public health. He also places himself in direct opposition to
more than 115 national organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics,
the American Medical Association and the National Council of Churches of Christ,
who are on record in support of providing comprehensive sexuality education
information in our nation's schools.
More than two decades of scientific research
demonstrates that sexuality education that includes messages both on abstinence and contraception
help teens delay too-early sexual activity and protect themselves from sexually
transmitted diseases when they do become sexually active.
A recent study by
the Alan
Guttmacher Institute found that 80 percent of the decline in teen pregnancy
rates was due to increased use of contraception among sexually active youth.
The remaining 20 percent decline was due to teens delaying sexual activity.
The
message from these statistics couldn't be clearer. It's not either abstinence or contraception,
but both. Yes, we should emphasize the value of delaying sexual activity,
but we must also provide accurate information about contraception for the prevention
of unintended pregnancy and disease. To do anything less, in the era of AIDS,
is not merely shortsighted but dangerous.
Sincerely,
James Wagoner
President
Advocates for Youth
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