Author Topic: Obama Budget Would Eliminate Spending on Abstinence-Only Sex Education (Read 2780 times)

The Coach · « **on:** May 07, 2009, 08:58:53 PM »

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama wants to eliminate spending on abstinence-only education and spend the money on programs to reduce teen pregnancy that do not take an abstinence-only approach.

The proposal in Obama's 2010 budget plan released Thursday could run into opposition from conservatives.

Administration budget documents say Obama wants to redirect funding from "abstinence-only education programs to evidence-based and promising teen pregnancy prevention programs."

The state grant program for abstinence education that Obama wants to eliminate is getting $38 million in 2009. He is requesting $50 million instead to support existing teen pregnancy prevention programs and develop new ones.

The most positive results, Obama's budget plan asserts, come from programs that "provide a range of services in addition to comprehensive sex education."

Dos Equis · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2009, 12:16:18 PM »

Bad decision. Now watch him try and divert money to Planned Parenthood.

MM2K · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2009, 01:27:41 AM »

Personally, I think ALL sex education programs are a bad idea - whether they are abstinence only or not. Parents should teach thier kids about sex, not impersonal beurocrats that they dont even know. It is not the business of schools to be teaching kids about sex. If the government would stop making it economically feasible for single moms to have kids, I can guarantee you that parents would find a way to keep it from happening. For some kids that might include abstinence only. For some kids it might include teaching about protected sex. Parents will make that decision.

Dos Equis · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2009, 01:36:40 AM »

Quote from: MM2K on May 10, 2009, 01:27:41 AM

Personally, I think ALL sex education programs are a bad idea - whether they are abstinence only or not. Parents should teach thier kids about sex, not impersonal beurocrats that they dont even know. It is not the business of schools to be teaching kids about sex. If the government would stop making it economically feasible for single moms to have kids, I can guarantee you that parents would find a way to keep it from happening. For some kids that might include abstinence only. For some kids it might include teaching about protected sex. Parents will make that decision.

I'm not sure I'd call them all a bad idea, but I definitely understand your point. It is the parents' responsibility to educate their kids. Maybe the government should get out of this business altogether.

drkaje · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2009, 06:00:30 AM »

If parents were doing a good job we wouldn't have teen pregnancy and abortion to deal with as social issues. There need to be programs and an understanding that abortion really shouldn't be the preferred method of birth control. Unfortunately the issue is more politicized than plain common sense.

Deicide · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2009, 06:28:54 AM »

Quote from: drkaje on May 10, 2009, 06:00:30 AM

If parents were doing a good job we wouldn't have teen pregnancy and abortion to deal with as social issues. There need to be programs and an understanding that abortion really shouldn't be the preferred method of birth control. Unfortunately the issue is more politicized than plain common sense.

Shit's been around forever. Nothing will change that, old as humanity itself.

drkaje · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2009, 06:33:03 AM »

Quote from: Deicide on May 10, 2009, 06:28:54 AM

Shit's been around forever. Nothing will change that, old as humanity itself.

True. It should have been addressed a long time ago but America did the same thing we always do with problems..... ignore them until the middle class gets affected.

The Master · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2009, 06:41:10 AM »

Obama Bin Laden.

Straw Man · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2009, 06:42:14 AM »

Quote

President Barack Obama wants to eliminate spending on abstinence-only education and spend the money on programs to reduce teen pregnancy that do not take an abstinence-only approach.

Quote from: Beach Bum on May 09, 2009, 12:16:18 PM

Bad decision. Now watch him try and divert money to Planned Parenthood.

He's stopping abstinence ONLY programs because they've proven to be an abject failure and instead diverting that money to other programs in an attempt to reduce teen pregnancy. Isn't that the objective the failed abstinence only programs in the first place.

Why should we keeping throwing money at a failed idea. He might as well just take the money and have a bonfire of the front lawn of the White House as spend it on abstinence ONLY programs.

Thank Jeebus we don't have another brain dead evangelical running this country

drkaje · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:00:11 AM »

Quote from: Straw Man on May 10, 2009, 06:42:14 AM

He's stopping abstinence ONLY programs because they've proven to be an abject failure and instead diverting that money to other programs in an attempt to reduce teen pregnancy. Isn't that the objective the failed abstinence only programs in the first place.

Why should we keeping throwing money at a failed idea. He might as well just take the money and have a bonfire of the front lawn of the White House as spend it on abstinence ONLY programs.

Thank Jeebus we don't have another brain dead evangelical running this country

AIG and GM are failed ideas.

Straw Man · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:05:28 AM »

Quote from: drkaje on May 10, 2009, 07:00:11 AM

AIG and GM are failed ideas.

they're definitely failed companies (for different reasons)

Straw Man · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:08:43 AM »

Quote

Administration budget documents say Obama wants to redirect funding from "abstinence-only education programs to evidence-basedand promising teen pregnancy prevention programs."

why do christians hate evidence?

why must we keep throwing money at a failed idea?

drkaje · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:17:01 AM »

Quote from: Straw Man on May 10, 2009, 07:05:28 AM

they're definitely failed companies (for different reasons)

Point is that 'failure' is pretty subjective if you're talking about something like an abstinence program. If a small percentage of unplanned pregnancies can be avoided then we'll have less poverty and suffering in children.

It's my opinion that welfare needs to be drastically changed to really affect unplanned pregnancies but no one would ever go for any idea that shifted responsibility back to individuals.

Straw Man · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:25:49 AM »

Quote from: drkaje on May 10, 2009, 07:17:01 AM

Point is that 'failure' is pretty subjective if you're talking about something like an abstinence program. If a small percentage of unplanned pregnancies can be avoided then we'll have less poverty and suffering in children.

It's my opinion that welfare needs to be drastically changed to really affect unplanned pregnancies but no one would ever go for any idea that shifted responsibility back to individuals.

failure of abstince ONLY training is not "pretty subjective" and I don't think they are eliminating abstinence but rather just adding other programs

Quote

The most positive results, Obama's budget plan asserts, come from programs that "provide a range of services in addition to comprehensive sex education."

Purge_WTF · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:43:14 AM »

Quote from: Straw Man on May 10, 2009, 07:08:43 AM

why do christians hate evidence?

why must we keep throwing money at a failed idea?

I'm both a Christian and a Conservative, but I don't let evidence get in the way. I do believe that people should hold off on sex until marriage, but it's been proven time and again that AO education doesn't work. The only people who promote it are those who want today's kids as miserable and repressed as they are.

Straw Man · « **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2009, 08:01:13 AM »

Quote from: Purge_WTF on May 10, 2009, 07:43:14 AM

I'm both a Christian and a Conservative, but I don't let evidence get in the way. I do believe that people should hold off on sex until marriage, but it's been proven time and again that AO education doesn't work. The only people who promote it are those who want today's kids as miserable and repressed as they are.

fair enough - not all christians hate evidence. I actually think there are many more christians like you and the "abstinence only" crowd is probably an ever shrinking minority.

The True Adonis · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2009, 08:45:29 AM »

Quote from: Purge_WTF on May 10, 2009, 07:43:14 AM

I'm both a Christian and a Conservative, but I don't let evidence get in the way. I do believe that people should hold off on sex until marriage, but it's been proven time and again that AO education doesn't work. The only people who promote it are those who want today's kids as miserable and repressed as they are.

Christian, Conservative and Evidence do not belong in the same sentence nor can they exist with any uniformity.

drkaje · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2009, 08:47:22 AM »

Instead of wasting more time bashing Christians people should concentrate on what best would protect children from being born into poverty with unprepared parents.

Deicide · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2009, 09:37:11 AM »

Quote from: drkaje on May 10, 2009, 08:47:22 AM

Instead of wasting more time bashing Christians people should concentrate on what best would protect children from being born into poverty with unprepared parents.

All genetics...

tu_holmes · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2009, 12:43:42 PM »

Isn't the point being that abstinence only education doesn't work... Abstinence will still be taught... Just in conjunction with other forms of sex education.

Seems pretty cut and dried to me... More education, not less.

Dos Equis · « **Reply #20 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:22:46 PM »

White House may seek funding for abstinence-only education
Posted: 12:46 PM ET

From CNN's Lauren Kornreich

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Although President Obama cut funding for abstinence-only sex education from his new budget, a White House official said Tuesday that some programs could eventually receive government money.

"The President is deeply committed to reducing levels of teen pregnancy and believes that parents, families, communities, and the government must come together to address this issue," a White House official told CNN contributor David Brody. "The budget increases overall funding for teenage pregnancy prevention, which may include education on abstinence, and supports programs based on research."

The official told Brody that 75 percent of funding for teen pregnancy prevention will go towards programs that are proven to lower rates, and that some abstinence-only education could qualify.

The official added that the rest of the funds will be directed to "promising, but not yet proven" programs which have given "some indication" of effectiveness in preventing teen pregnancy. "Those programs would have to agree to participate in a rigorous evaluation, and abstinence-only programs could qualify," said the aide.

The president's budget, unveiled last week, eliminated funding for Community-Based Abstinence Education," but allocated millions of dollars to "community-based and faith-based efforts to reduce teen pregnancy using evidence-based and promising models."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

Straw Man · « **Reply #21 on:** May 12, 2009, 06:45:40 PM »

so AO programs "might" qualify for a few $$$'s provided they agree to a rigorous evaluation of the actual results? IMO it's probably more money down the drain but if they can prove some effectiveness then I'm sure no one will complain and if they are proven worthless (again) then I'm sure the christians won't have a problem with that either.....right?

Straw Man · « **Reply #22 on:** May 12, 2009, 06:53:43 PM »

What exactly do you learn in AO training?

http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20041201102153-50247.pdf

LurkerNoMore · « **Reply #23 on:** May 12, 2009, 07:41:47 PM »

Quote from: Straw Man on May 10, 2009, 07:08:43 AM

why do christians hate evidence?

Because it interfers with their delusional fantasies.

Straw Man · « **Reply #24 on:** May 12, 2009, 07:44:11 PM »

Quote from: LurkerNoMore on May 12, 2009, 07:41:47 PM

Because it interfers with their delusional fantasies.

ok - why do they ask non-christians or even rationale christians to induldge their delusional fantasies...not only indulge but also subordinate our own rational conclusions?

Author Topic: Obama Budget Would Eliminate Spending on Abstinence-Only Sex Education (Read 2780 times)

The Coach

Purge_WTF