New Report: Bush's "Abstinence-Only" Gets Failing Grade

Washington, DC – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and a former teacher and Montana state education official, issued the following statement in response to today's release of a government-sponsored report that further proves President Bush's ideological "abstinence-only" programs do not work. 

The report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that students in abstinence-only programs are not more likely to abstain from sex or delay when they become sexually active.  Today's report gives the American public yet another reason to question why President Bush is funneling their tax dollars into ineffective programs. 

"This report underscores how Bush's dangerous political agenda is threatening the health of our teens," Keenan said.  "Independent studies continue to demonstrate that Bush's abstinence-only approach is a failure.  Not only are they ineffective, the programs mislead our teens and censor teachers from giving students the truth about contraception.   Congress and this administration should support honest, age-appropriate, and medically accurate sex education that promotes abstinence and provides young people with the information they need to protect themselves.  Honest sex education is the only approach that works."

"As a former educator, I know that values are taught at home, but the facts are taught at school," Keenan said.  "Now is not the time to give more money to ineffective abstinence-only programs.  Let's do what's right for teens and their families.  Let's go back to the basics: honest, traditional sex education."

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032