Washington, D.C.
Many federally funded abstinence-only programs are misleading schoolchildren by teaching them that condoms don’t work, that abortion leads to sterility and suicide, and that touching a person’s genitals “can result in pregnancy,” according to a congressional analysis released last week. Rep. Henry Waxman, the California Democrat who spearheaded the report, said that while he favors encouraging teens to abstain from sex, “I don’t think we ought to lie to our children about science.” Alma Golden of the Department of Health and Human Services responded that the Waxman report had taken statements out of context to present the program in the worst light. “One thing is very clear for our children,” Golden said. “Abstaining from sex is the most effective means of preventing” pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
10 concert tours to see this upcoming fallThe Week Recommends Get ready for pumpkin spice season with concerts from big-name artists
-
How to put student loan payments on pauseThe Explainer If you are starting to worry about missing payments, deferment and forbearance can help
-
Is Kash Patel’s fate sealed after Kirk shooting missteps?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The FBI’s bungled response in the immediate aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting has director Kash Patel in the hot seat
