As students head back to school across the country, we should all care about what they are learning. Everyone agrees that school lessons should be accurate. They should be helpful for a student’s health and growth.That is why the return of abstinence-only programs is so concerning. 

More than ten years ago, I worked in teen pregnancy prevention. We knew that abstinence-only programs did more than just give wrong information. We knew they were actually harming young people. Yet these programs have returned and are receiving government money once again. Even back then, ten years of data had already proved they didn't work. Today, research continues to show that these programs increase risks. They leave students unprepared when they do become sexually active. Those who took virginity pledges are especially unprepared (Guttmacher Institute, 2025).

Here is a just sampling of the wrong and stigmatizing ‘information’ in these programs:

• “There is ‘insufficient evidence’ that condoms offer protections against the most common STDs in America today” (Navigator, p. 44)

• “Knowing what to do when it comes to sexual activity isn’t as complicated and mysterious as society makes it seem…The only question you need to ask is: ‘Am I married?’ If you can answer that question, you will know what to do.” (Aspire, p. 20)

• “By reserving all sexual activity and childbearing for marriage, you are providing any future children with the benefit of being born into the care of a loving mother and father.” (Aspire, p. 18)

• “Maria has been sexually active since she was 14. She really didn’t have to have sex, but…her boyfriend pressured her…Maria, at age 16, has now had sex with three different guys…feels bad about herself and sometimes drinks or uses drugs to cover up her depression. Maria wishes she could start over again.” (AC Green’s Game Plan, p. 44)

Wait what?? They don't give young people honest, facts-based health education. These programs use fear, promote fixed moral lessons, and distort real research. In the process, they hide the crucial medical facts students actually need.

The fact is almost all Americans have sex before marriage. Which begs the question, shouldn’t we be promoting comprehensive sex education? We know that comprehensive sex ed give youth the knowledge to make informed, responsible decisions about their bodies. It gives them the tools to form healthy relationships. 

Research shows that sex education helps young people grow into healthier adults. When students get complete, facts-based health education, it helps them:

• Build Strong Skills: They learn better communication, self-control, and how to build healthy relationships.

• Stay Safe: It helps prevent child sex abuse, dating violence, STIs, and unintended pregnancies.

• Grow Respect: Students gain better self-esteem, respect for diversity, and the ability to spot online misinformation.

The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics both agree that comprehensive sex education is essential for all young people.

These abstinence-only programs have been renamed "Sexual Risk Avoidance". But they are really just the same old abstinence-until-marriage curriculum. They push a single set of moral beliefs and leave out basic medical facts. This puts young people's health at risk. These programs teach students only one point of view. The view is that waiting until marriage to have sex is the only right choice for everyone.

Let’s do better for our kids. In June, $68 million in government funding was cut from proven teen pregnancy prevention programs. Now, lawmakers are trying to move that money to harmful, ineffective abstinence-only classes. Our young people deserve real facts that help them grow up healthy and safe!