This is for all those "holier than thou" types who feel that sex ed contributes
to sexual activity at an early age.  Read on, unbelievers!


Reprinted without Permission from the K-W Record, Dec 16, 1993


        "Sex Education not linked to promiscuity"

Sex ed in schools does NOT lead to earlier or increased sexual activity in
young people, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) analysis of 35
studies conducted in the U.S. and other countries.

"The belief that sex and AIDS education may encourage sexual activity in young
people is a powerful barrier to the introduction of HIV prevention programs for
youth," said Michael Merson, Exec Director of the WHO Global Program in AIDS,
referring to the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.  "Yet all the
evidence we have looked at suggests that the opposite is true."

Of the 35 studies reviewed by WHO, 16 indicated that sex ed led to a DELAY in
starting sexual activity; in those who were already sexually active, there was
a decrease in sexual activity or increased use of safer sex practices. 
Seventeen other studies showed that sex ed was linked to neither an increase or
a decrease in levels of sex activity.  

The WHO survey also found that programs promoting both postponement of sex and
protected sex were more effective than programs that taught the value of
abstinence alone.

End of article.


Hmmmm, well zealots, what say ye to this?  Certainly abstinence alone is not
enough because the reality is that people are just plain having sex and a
younger age without knowing all the facts!  SOLUTION:  Get condom machines into
the damn highschools so that the adolescents who ARE active can have access to
them without feeling embarrassed and then using NO protection whatsover.  Think
of how many unwanted teen pregnancies MIGHT have been prevented had the
Ministries of Education taken a proactive stance on this issue!

Jason Sack

P.S. I hate my own university's hypocritical views on this issue -we have
hundreds of $$$ spent on "awareness" seminars by the Students' Council, the
University Admin and the Residence Admins, but the only condoms available
on-campus for purchase are in the 2 campus pubs and they are those cheap, thin
condoms with names like "Arouse" and other two-bit bargain basement 'domes.  If
the UNIVERSITY was serious about this issue and preventing STD's and AIDS, and
unwanted pregnancy, they would insist on having condoms which are of a better
reputation available on-campus like SHIELDS, SHEIKS, TROJANS and other
reputable brands, not this cheap crap!  Hyprocites, I say!