Abstinence only education doesn't work. Yet another scientific study reinforces what should be obvious to most thinking Americans.

Courtesy of Think Progress:

The number of teen births in the U.S. dropped again in 2010, according to a government report, with nearly every state seeing a decrease. Nationally, the rate fell 9 percent to about 34 per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 19, and the drop was seen among all racial and ethnic groups. Mississippi continues to have the highest teen birth rate, with 55 births per 1,000 girls. New Hampshire has the lowest rate at just under 16 births per 1,000 girls. 

This is the lowest national rate for teen births since the Centers for Disease Control began tracking it in 1940, and CDC officials attributed the decline to pregnancy prevention efforts. Other reports show that teenagers are having less sex and using contraception more often. Studies have backed this up. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that teenagers who received some type of comprehensive sex education were 60 percent less likely to get pregnant or get someone else pregnant. And in 2007, a federal report showed that abstinence-only programs had “no impacts on rates of sexual abstinence.” 

But 37 states require sex education that includes abstinence, 26 of which require that abstinence be stressed as the best method. Additionally, research shows that abstinence-only strategies could deter contraceptive use among teenagers, thus increasing their risk of unintended pregnancy. 

For example, take the states with the highest and lowest teen pregnancy rates. Mississippi does not require sex education in schools, but when it is taught, abstinence-only education is the state standard. New Mexico, which has the second highest teen birth rate, does not require sex ed and has no requirements on what should be included when it is taught. New Hampshire, on the other hand, requires comprehensive sex education in schools that includes abstinence and information about condoms and contraception. 

Personally I think these scientists could have saved a lot of time just by taking a road trip to Wasilla, stepping out of their cars to look around, and then realizing "Oh yeah, this is not working at all!"

Same thing could have been achieved just by visiting the Palin compound also don'tcha know?

Teenagers have been having premarital sex for as long as their have been teenagers in the world.

Hell I myself am the product of a teen pregnancy. This is certainly nothing new in the world.

But like the study indicates, helping young hormonal teenagers do what they are going to do anyhow only safely, will ensure that we have far fewer cases of kids having kids. And ultimately THAT should be the goal of every parent and educator in this country.

Or is that too logical?