TY - JOUR
T1 - Barack obama vs bristol palin
T2 - Why the president's sex education policy wins
AU - Weiser, Dana A.
AU - Miller, Monica K.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - The federal government has exponentially increased funding for abstinence-only sex education over the last few decades, a position supported by former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol. Unfortunately, empirical research indicates that abstinence-only education is ineffective and may have negative consequences for adolescents. Despite encouragement of abstinence, adolescents continue to engage in sexual relationships, indicating that a different approach to sex education should be supported. This situation raises a number of justice issues because it is important for the government to fund sex education curricula that instruct adolescents on how to protect themselves from pregnancy and STDs. The majority of parents also disagree with the federal funding of abstinence-only education and support more comprehensive education. This indicates that funding abstinence-only education is diametrically opposed to community sentiment. Federal funding of abstinence-only sex education is also problematic as such policies violate a number of adolescents' constitutional rights. Therefore, the federal government must revise its current sex education policies. President Obama's proposed plan has the potential to overcome many of these issues associated with abstinence-only education.
AB - The federal government has exponentially increased funding for abstinence-only sex education over the last few decades, a position supported by former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol. Unfortunately, empirical research indicates that abstinence-only education is ineffective and may have negative consequences for adolescents. Despite encouragement of abstinence, adolescents continue to engage in sexual relationships, indicating that a different approach to sex education should be supported. This situation raises a number of justice issues because it is important for the government to fund sex education curricula that instruct adolescents on how to protect themselves from pregnancy and STDs. The majority of parents also disagree with the federal funding of abstinence-only education and support more comprehensive education. This indicates that funding abstinence-only education is diametrically opposed to community sentiment. Federal funding of abstinence-only sex education is also problematic as such policies violate a number of adolescents' constitutional rights. Therefore, the federal government must revise its current sex education policies. President Obama's proposed plan has the potential to overcome many of these issues associated with abstinence-only education.
KW - Community sentiment
KW - STD prevention
KW - Sex education policy
KW - Sexual health
KW - Sexual self-efficacy
KW - Teen pregnancy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79956228596&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10282580.2010.517970
DO - 10.1080/10282580.2010.517970
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79956228596
SN - 1028-2580
VL - 13
SP - 411
EP - 424
JO - Contemporary Justice Review: Issues in Criminal, Social, and Restorative Justice
JF - Contemporary Justice Review: Issues in Criminal, Social, and Restorative Justice
IS - 4
ER -