We live in an age of forgetting.
Headlines
The Wash. Post. web site edition:
Budget calls for new spending
Plan for allotting money calls for allotting money? We live in a craaaazy world.
‘Don’t ask’ policy to change
New ‘You both can drop hints’ policy not much progress.
Study: Abstinence sex-ed works
“But we really need to have sex now,” say researchers of 5-year study. (link–it’s an interesting article)
Wizards falter late, lose to Celtics
Huge improvement over usual falter at beginning.
Obama answers questions submitted on YouTube
Thank God “MrBurrito999″ finally has a voice.
about 1 month ago
Hmmmm, I read the abstinence article and several issues pop-out to me.
A: This study was conducted on a relatively small sample size.
B: The curriculum that was used is sharply divergent from most abstinence education programs.
C: The efficacy will be grossly overstated by people who don’t understand percentages, statistical models, or either A or B above.
How hopeful are you of the 4th estates ability to accurately portray this study and it’s limitations? I am guessing not very.
about 1 month ago
The study interested me because it was the first non-biased research I’ve heard about that said abstinence sex ed wasn’t a huge load of crap.
You raise good caveats though. “B’ will be willfully ignored by conservative religious organizations who tend to look at sex ed through religious ideology rather than pragmatism. I’m assuming they will spin the study to emphasize the parts that support their agenda and ignore the parts that don’t.
At the same time, if a non-religious abstinence message can be effective in reducing teen pregnancy, that’s wonderful. Some teens and communities may want an abstinence-only program. If these communities are willing to base the program on non-biased research, and the program is effective, more power to them.
It’s just one study, of course, but it’s an interesting start.