Going through the Iron Blog topic list:
Abstinence only sex-ed, like a lot of educational issues is a very broad topic. From what I understand it generally means shrinking down to zero the birth control section and expanding the consequences of screwing up when it comes to sex, strongly advising people to keep their private bits pristine for their wedding night.
The essence of the controversy is do you teach to an ideal (virginity before marriage) and encourage fidelity and maintaining the ideal or do you go straight to plan 'B' and inform kids that you don't expect them to be able to make it, that they're not capable of keeping things in their pants and always remember to keep a prophylactic handy. I don't find the latter alternative very good pedagogy.
The equivalent in team sports would be to casually mention the desirability of honesty and fair play at the beginning of a "cheaters clinic" which showed the best ways to get around the rules without being caught. There's not much of a constituency for that kind of education. Sex-ed that goes straight for the birth control should be just as frowned upon.
Posted by TMLutas at July 27, 2004 06:52 PM