Abstinence Education Has Strong Voice in New York Regional TV Debate

The issue of abstinence education funding in New York State took to the television airwaves recently, with the proponent of abstinence education exhibiting excellent knowledge and poise despite hostile questioning from the Regional News Network (RNN) host.

The debate took place in the wake of the New York State Health Commissioner's controversial decision to reject more than $3 million in federal abstinence education grants, while diverting state abstinence funds toward so-called "comprehensive" programs that promote condom use. The decision has raised major concerns among health educators given that the government already spends $12 on safe sex and contraceptives for every $1 spent on abstinence. (See Heritage Foundation report.)

In the televised debate, Christine Kim, a policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., got her facts straight, while her opponent , sexual therapist and radio talk show host Dr. Judy Kuriansky, seemed to rely more on the assumption that most teens are already having sex so it's best to teach them about condoms and birth control.

Ms. Kim said that the majority of teens are not sexually active, citing a study from the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control which points to a drop in sexual activity among high school students during the past 15 years.

Ms. Kim cited other reliable studies which indicate that teens respond positively to a clear and consistent message that abstinence is the healthiest choice. She noted that a study of "comprehensive" sex-ed programs revealed that they devote only about 4.7% of their time and content to abstinence, so that the abstinence message is lost within the overwhelming message that teen sex is acceptable as long as you "protect" yourself. Ms. Kim also cited a study in which 44% of teens said that a "mixed message" from parents or trusted adults regarding abstinence and sexual activity actually encouraged them to engage in sex.

Both Dr. Kuriansky and her RNN host were anxious to debunk these statistics, but Ms. Kim remained poised and positive.

Although it was an imperfect five-minute forum that did not allow time for either side to present its best points, the televised debate did give the impression that abstinence education promotes a reasonable and mature view of teen sexuality and should receive a better hearing in New York State.

(To view a video of the debate, "Is Abstinence Only the Best Sex-Ed?," visit www.rnntv.com.)