Why don’t you recommend contraceptives for teenagers?

First, studies have proven contraceptives are not effective in reducing teenage pregnancy rates. For example, a study done by Zelnik and Kantner in the late 70s found that, though teens “reported a dramatic increase in more regular use of all methods, there was no corresponding decrease in teen pregnancy rates.” Susan Roylance, in her survey on teen pregnancy rates in 1980, revealed that among the states she surveyed, “those with the highest expenditures on government birth control showed the largest increases in abortions and illegitimate births between 1970 and 1979.”

Second, most teens involved in premarital sex are hungry and searching for love. By offering birth control to them, we are telling them we don’t care enough to give them the very best–we won’t teach them what love really is.

How do you approach kids who have already had sex?

With understanding and guidance. More than 20% of the teens involved in premarital sex only did it once, according to the Guttmacher survey. Most counselors discover many of the teens, especially girls, did not like the experience. Our SEX RESPECT program offers guidelines for “secondary virginity,” encouraging teens to start over again and wait until marriage. One girl said, “I’ve already had a sexual relationship, but I’ll choose secondary virginity after taking this course. Thank you! I feel better about myself now.”

A teen boy responded, “I wish we had this in eighth grade. That’s when I made my choice. I chose something that I now regret. If I would have known the facts, I would have chosen differently.”

Is the SEX RESPECT curriculum approved for public schools?

The SEX RESPECT program on abstinence education offers a positive alternative to sex education courses that focus primarily on anatomy and physiology.

Principal Jo Jean Morris observes, “We have known that the kids are sexually aware. We felt it was inadequate to just say to them, “this is what a man looks like; this is what a woman looks like.”

“We felt like what we were doing wasn’t the answer,” said Bob Galore, health teacher. Galore said the classes had formerly consisted of biology and anatomy and discussing family planning and family life. “That part of it isn’t necessary when we’re talking about the emotional and psychological effect.”

Questions & Topics: Page Number:

• Why teach SEX RESPECT? 7
• Is this psychologically safe? 13
• Why include parents in the course? 14
• Isn’t this idealistic? 9
• Why not teach birth control? 10, 11
• Is this a religious course? 12
• How do I run a SEX RESPECT Parent’s night? 14-16
• Outline of course SB 99-102/divided by chapter 1-6
• What’s a multifaceted approach to SEX RESPECT? 8
• Requirements for teacher of SEX RESPECT 9
• Differences between human and animal sex 25
• AIDS message from Bennett and Koop SB 55 48
• How can adoption be a healthy mature choice? SB 96 83