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Transitions
Volume 12, No. 3,
March 2001
This Transitions is
also available in [PDF] format.
Science or Politics? George W. Bush and the Future of Sexuality Education
in the United States
This fact sheet is also available in [PDF]
format.
Background
The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics,
the National Institutes of Health, the Institute of Medicine, the Office
of National AIDS Policy — all recently issued reports highlighting
the scientific research in support of comprehensive sexuality education,
education which includes information about both abstinence and contraception.
Congress, ignoring this science, allocated over $300 million since the fall
of 1996 to fund unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that exclude information
about condoms and contraceptives for the prevention of teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS,
and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
As Governor, George W. Bush championed abstinence-only-until-marriage programs
in Texas. As a presidential candidate, Bush promised to increase federal funding
for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
As President, is Bush poised to reject the scientific evidence on what really
works with teens and sex?
Politics or Science?
"It's very important to understand
the power and promise of abstinence education."1
—Presidential candidate George W. Bush, September 2000
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"Current research findings
do not support the position that the abstinence-only
approach to sexuality education is effective in delaying
the onset of intercourse."2
—THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 1999
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"We are aware of
no methodologically sound studies that demonstrate
the effectiveness of curricula that teach abstinence
as the only effective means of preventing teen
pregnancy…Credible evidence is lacking
to show the effectiveness of abstinence-only
programs. Additionally, there is mounting evidence
suggesting that these programs are generally
ineffective."3
—Brian
Wilcox, Ph.D., Center on Children,
Families, and the Law, University
of Nebraska |
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[As President] "My administration
will elevate abstinence education from an afterthought to an urgent
goal."4
—Presidential candidate George W. Bush, November 1999
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"…It is a matter
of grave concern that there is such a large incentive
to adopt unproven abstinence-only approaches." Particularly
since "the effective programs identified to
date provide information about safer sex, condoms,
and contraceptives, in addition to encouraging abstinence."5
—OFFICE OF NATIONAL AIDS POLICY, SEPTEMBER
2000
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More than eight out of
10 Americans believe young people should be
given information about protecting themselves
from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted
diseases.6
—Hickman-Brown
public opinion poll, 1999 |
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Bush pledged to increase federal funding
[for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs]
to at least $135 million a year.7
—The Washington
Post, June 1999
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"The Committee believes
that investing hundreds of millions of dollars of
federal and state funds over five years in abstinence-only
programs with no evidence of effectiveness constitutes
poor fiscal and public health policy…. Congress,
as well as other federal, state and local policymakers,
[should] eliminate requirements that public funds
be used for abstinence-only education."8
—THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, OCTOBER 2000
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Seven out of 10 Americans oppose federal funding to promote abstinence-only-until-marriage
programs that prohibit teaching about condoms and contraception
for the prevention of unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and sexually
transmitted diseases.6
—
Hickman-Brown public opinion poll, 1999
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"It [abstinence-only-until-marriage
education] hadn't been given a very good chance, but it's worked
when it's tried. That's for certain."9
—Presidential candidate
George W. Bush, November 1999
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"None of these studies
[on abstinence-only programs] found consistent and
significant program effects on delaying the onset
of intercourse, and at least one study provided strong
evidence that the program did not delay the onset
of intercourse."10
—NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY, 1997
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Eighty-four percent of Americans agree that preventing HIV/AIDS
and other sexually transmitted diseases are public health issues
and should be left to scientists and experts, not to politicians.6
—
Hickman-Brown public opinion poll, 1999
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"It seems like to me the contraceptive
message sends a contradictory message. It tends to undermine the
message of abstinence." 11
—Presidential candidate
George W. Bush, July 1999
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"Proponents of abstinence-only
policies argue that providing information about contraception
or providing condoms to adolescents sends a mixed
message to youth and may promote sexual activity." However, "expert
panels that have studied this issue, have concluded
that comprehensive sex and HIV/AIDS education programs
and condom availability programs can be effective
in reducing high-risk sexual behaviors among adolescents.
In addition, these reviews and expert panels conclude
that school-based sex education and condom availability
programs do not increase sexual activity among adolescents.8
—THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, OCTOBER 2000
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Among adolescents who reported sexual experience prior to the study,
those in the safer-sex intervention [the intervention that included information
on contraception and abstinence] reported less frequent sexual
intercourse, thus providing evidence contrary to the belief
that sex education increases sexual activity.12
—
John B. Jemmott, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology,
Princeton University, 1998
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More than eight out of every 10 Americans reject the
idea that providing sexuality education that includes information
on both abstinence and contraception will encourage sexual activity.6
—
Hickman-Brown public opinion poll, 1999
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"The folks that are saying condom
distribution is the best way to reduce teenage pregnancies obviously
haven't looked at the statistics."13
—Presidential candidate
George W. Bush, November 1999
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"…Two trends have
contributed to the declines in teenage birth and
pregnancy rates. First, the long-term increase in
the proportion of teenaged women who were sexually
experienced leveled [off]… In addition, among
sexually experienced teenagers who used any method
of contraception, condom use increased substantially."14
—CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, 1997 |
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"Although sexual abstinence is a desirable objective, programs must include
instruction in safer sex behavior, including condom use. The effectiveness of
these programs is supported by strong scientific evidence."15
—
The National Institutes of Health, 1997 |
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"All adolescents should be counseled about the correct and consistent use
of latex condoms to reduce risk of infection."16
—
American Academy of Pediatrics, January 2001 |
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Recent analyses by the prestigious Alan Guttmacher Institute found
that 75 percent of the decline in teen pregnancy rates is due
to improved use of contraception.17 A policy brief
concluded that, "to sustain the downward trends in teenage
pregnancy rates, it will be necessary … to integrate
the conclusion [that improved contraceptive use can make, and
is making, a big difference] into policies and programs."18
—
The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2000 |
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"Given the weight of scientific evidence demonstrating the efficacy of safer-sex
interventions and the absence of clear and compelling data demonstrating a significant
and consistent treatment advantage for abstinence programs, it is difficult to
understand the logic behind the decision to earmark funds specifically for abstinence
programs. Unfortunately, much of the public health policy debate appears to have
been ideologically motivated rather than empirically driven. However, no matter
how widespread, politically viable, or popular a program may be, efficacy in
preventing and modifying behaviors associated with ST[D]/HIV must remain the
primary criterion by which programs are changed."19
EDITORIAL: PREVENTING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS AMONG
ADOLESCENTS: A CLASH OF IDEOLOGY AND SCIENCE. JOURNAL
OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, MAY 1998
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Texas' Recent Record
"I have seen what works in my
state: raise expectations, measure progress, insist on results
[and] blow the whistle on failure."20
—Presidential candidate
George W. Bush, 2000
- Under Governor Bush, Texas spent over $10 million on
abstinence-only-until-marriage education. Bush allocated
nearly $6 million in state funds, well over the $3.7 million
state match required by the federal allocation of $4.9
million.21,22
- In Texas, 220 teen females aged 15 to 19 become pregnant every
single day.23
- Texas' teen pregnancy rate is 113 per
1,000 teen females aged 15 to 19. Only Nevada, California,
Arizona, and Florida have higher teen pregnancy rates.23
- Texas has the second worst teen birth rate
among 15- to 19-year-old females, ranking 49th out of 50
states. Only Mississippi has a higher teen birth rate.24
- Texas ranks dead last in the decline in teen
birth rates among 15-to 17-year-olds,
ranking 50th out of 50. Between 1991 and 1998, the teen
birth rate in this age group dropped by more than 21 percent
in the United States as a whole; Texas' rate declined by
only 10 percent.24
- Texas ranks second to last for the decline
in the teen birth rate among 15-to 19-year-olds during
the same time period, ranking 49th out of 50.24
- While Texas ranks 15th out of 39 states in the decline
in the birth rate among 15-to 19-year-old African
American teens (30.4 percent), Texas' decline
in the birth rate for Caucasian teens aged 15
to 19 is the sixth smallest recorded in any state
(12.5 percent). Texas' birth rate declined by only 3.5
percent among Hispanic teens aged 15 to 19 compared
to 12.3 percent nationwide.24
- Texas has an extremely high number of reported STD cases — accounting
for about 10 percent of all reported cases of chlamydia
and gonorrhea in the country.25
- Texas' chlamydia rate is 319 per 100,000 population,
ranking 44th out of 50. Texas' gonorrhea rate is 167 per
100,000 population, ranking the state 40th out of 50.25
- Texas ranks 46th out of 50 states for the number of people
living with HIV/AIDS.26
Written by Marcela Howell and Ammie N. Feijoo, January 2001
References
- Boyer D. Teens get Bush's views on sex: stresses
abstinence lessons in school. The Washington Times, Friday,
September 15, 2000.
- Council on Scientific Affairs. Report
of the Council on Scientific Affairs. [Action of the AMA House
of Delegates 1999 Interim Meeting, CSA Report 7-I-99]. Chicago,
IL: American Medical Association, 1999.
- Wilcox BL, Limber SP, O'Bierne H, Bartels CL. Federally
Funded Adolescent Abstinence Promotion: An Evaluation of Evaluations.
Presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research on
Adolescence, Boston, March 10, 1996.
- George W. Bush. The True Goal of Education.
[Speech at Gorham, NH, Tuesday, November 2, 1999]. http://www.georgebush.com/news/speeches/1102.99_education.html.
- Office of National AIDS Policy. Youth and HIV/AIDS
2000: A New American Agenda. Washington, DC: The White House,
September 2000.
- Hickman-Brown Public Opinion Research. Public
Opinion Research on Sexuality Education. [Report to Advocates
for Youth and the Sexuality Information & Education Council of
the U.S.] Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth, 1999.
- Broder DS. Bush defends gun record, pushes teen
sex abstinence in S.C. foray. The Washington Post, June 22,
1999.
- Committee on HIV Prevention Strategies in the United
States, Institute of Medicine. No Time to Lose: Getting More from
HIV Prevention. Washington, DC: The Institute, October 2000.
- Cohen R. Bush's blank spaces. The Washington
Post, Thursday, December 9, 1999.
- Kirby D. No Easy Answers: Research Findings
on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy: A Research Review Commissioned
by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Washington,
DC : The National Campaign, 1997.
- Dionne E.J. 'Abstinence plus.' The Washington
Post, July 16, 1999.
- Jemmott JB, Jemmott LS, Fong GT. Abstinence and
safer sex HIV risk-reduction interventions for African American adolescents:
a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1998; 279: 1529-1536.
- Bruni F. Bush explains his opposition to abortion. The
New York Times, November 22, 1999.
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. State-Specific
Birth Rates for Teenagers, United States, 1990-1996. Morbidity & Mortality
Weekly Report 1997; 46:838-842.
- National Institutes of Health. Consensus Development
Conference Statement. Rockville, MD: The Institutes, 1997.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Adolescents and
human immunodeficiency virus infection: the role of the pediatrician
in prevention and intervention. [Policy statement]. Pediatrics 2001;
107:188-190.
- Alan Guttmacher Institute. Trend toward Abstinence-Only
Sex Ed Means Many U.S. Teenagers Are Not Getting Vital Messages about
Contraception. [News Release]. New York, NY: The Institute,
January 12, 2001.
- Saul R. Teen pregnancy: progress meets politics. The
Guttmacher Report on Public Policy June 1999; 2(3):6-9.
- DiClemente RJ. Preventing sexually transmitted
infections among adolescents: a clash of ideology and science. [Editorials] JAMA May
20, 1998; 279:1574-1575.
- George W. Bush Campaign. Letter soliciting campaign
funds. Austin, TX: Bush for President, Inc., 2000.
- Daly D, Wong VC. Between the Lines: States'
Implementation of the Federal Government's Section 510(b) Abstinence
Education Program in Fiscal Year 1998. New York, NY: SIECUS,
1999.
- Office of the Governor. Governor Announces
Second Round of Abstinence Grants. [Press release] Austin, TX:
The Office, October 20, 1998.
- The Alan Guttmacher Institute. Teenage Pregnancy:
Overall Trends and State-by-State Information. New York, NY:
The Institute, 1999.
- Ventura SJ, Curtin SC, Mathews TJ. Variations in
teenage birth rates, 1991-1998: national and state trends. National
Vital Statistics Reports 2000; 48(6):1-16.
- Division of STD Prevention. 1999 Sexually Transmitted
Disease Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention,
2000.
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. HIV/AIDS
Surveillance Report 2000; 12(1):1-43.
Transitions (ISSN
1097-1254) © 2001, is a quarterly publication of Advocates for Youth—Helping
young people make safe and responsible decisions about
sex. For permission
to reprint, contact Transitions' editor at 202.419.3420.
Editor: Sue Alford
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