A recent poll commissioned by the Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting showed that more than three of every four Minnesotans think that schools should promote abstinence, but should also be able to teach about contraception.

Tuesday, August 15, 2000

A recent poll commissioned by the Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting showed that more than three of every four Minnesotans think that schools should promote abstinence, but should also be able to teach about contraception.

More than 80 percent of respondents disagreed that teaching sex ed encourages teens to have sex.

Chalk it up to Minnesotans’ sensible values.

Pregnancies among teens are dropping, but there’s still girls who complete an unwanted pregnancy only to put their newborns in trash cans.

Education is needed to reach those teens who are having sex. Young adults need to learn how to take responsibility for their actions and to fully understand the consequences of their actions.

Including messages about abstinence will help other teens to better defend and uphold their own personal values.

It’s still important for parents to instill values in their children and talk about what is appropriate behavior, but sexual education should still be a part of our school systems.

The two lessons – abstinence and proper use of contraception – are compatible. Both have a place in the classroom.