May 12, 2008Media Stories

Sex Ed Curricula All Over the Map in Minnesota
Minnesota Public Radio, May 4, 2008

Abortions, Births Decreasing
The Baltimore (MD) Sun, April 27, 2008

Program Will Help Girls Avoid Teen Pregnancy
The Jackson (MI) Citizen Patriot, April 30, 2008

Opinion: Abstinence Program Successes
The Washington Times, April 25, 2008

Federal Funding of Abstinence-Only Sex Education Programs Debated
Los Angeles Times, April 24, 2008

Brownback Makes Pitch for Abstinence Education
Kansas City (MO) Star, April 24, 2008

Opinion: Family Fracture, Unwed Births Cost Us Dearly
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 24, 2008

Women Want State Campaign Against Unwanted Pregnancies
Rapid City (SD) Journal, April 22, 2008

Funding Opportunities

The National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth maintains a listing of organizations identified as potential funding sources for abstinence education programs. The listing includes grant descriptions and contact information.

FYSB Announces Availability of CBAE Funds
The Family and Youth Services Bureau is currently accepting applications for the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program for Fiscal Year 2008.
Application deadline: June 2, 2008

Mattel Children's Foundation
Mattel will provide funding up to $25,000 for results-oriented programs that have a positive impact on the health, education, and wellbeing of children with demonstrated needs (physical, financial, emotional, and health-related). The foundation gives priority to programs that promote self-esteem in young girls up to age 12.
Application deadline: July 15, 2008

Recent Research

Toward a Transactional Model of Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality and Adolescent Psychological Adjustment (2008) (full text available for a fee) – In this study, published in the Journal of Early Adolescence [Volume 28 (2): 252-276], researchers examined the unique aspects of adolescents’ thinking, their outward behaviors, and the parent and teenage relationship over time. The authors concluded that mothers can play a key role in staying connected with their adolescents, protecting them from susceptibility to aggression and delinquency. In contrast, fathers’ negative reactions to acting-out behaviors may be a detriment to their parenting practices.

Self-Regulation and Sexual Restraint: Dispositionally and Temporarily Poor Self-Regulatory Abilities Contribute to Failures at Restraining Sexual Behavior (2007) (full text available for a fee) – In this study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin [Volume 33 (1): 173-186], researchers concluded that participants with low self-control were more likely to express sexual thoughts and (hypothetically) engage in sexual infidelity compared to participants with higher self-control.

Other News/Misc.

Smart & Good High Schools: Integrating Excellence and Ethics for Success in School, Work and Beyond
Authors Lickona and Davidson include several recommendations on linking sex education to character education. When educating for character in the sexual domain, teachers should encourage respect for self and others. Students should be taught to develop internal convictions and a peer culture that supports sexual self-control. And teachers should address the emotional dimensions of sexuality, explain to teens what they are waiting for, and use character-centered text that supports sexual self-discipline.

Unplanned Pregnancy and Family Turmoil
A new research brief from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy argues that parents who have a birth resulting from an unplanned pregnancy are more likely to have high levels of relationship conflict and unhappiness.

Abstinence Education: Assessing the Evidence
Researchers discuss 21 abstinence education studies. Overall, 16 of the 21 studies reported statistically significant positive results, such as delayed initiation and reduced early sexual activity. Five studies did not report any significant positive results.

Upcoming Events

Getting Your Evaluation Results Published Conference Call
May 21, 2008
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Teens & MySpace: How the Online Metropolis is Changing the Way the Next Generation Communicates Online Web Cast
May 22, 2008
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How to Design a MySpace Profile Web Cast
May 29, 2008
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Spotlight

The Abstinence Education E-Update Spotlight has highlighted various topics, from new Federal staff to effective State programs. Now, NCFY will highlight two States a month, looking at each State’s legislation, policy, and specific State features related to abstinence education.

MICHIGAN

What’s Interesting in the State of Michigan
The Michigan Abstinence Program (MAP), a part of the Department of Community Health, seeks to positively impact adolescent health by promoting abstinence from sexual activity and related risky behaviors, such as the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Using a comprehensive approach to teen pregnancy prevention, MAP targets 9 to 17 year olds and their parents. The program utilizes coalitions, community activity, media, and educational and promotional items.

There are also 4 CBAE grantees in the State of Michigan.

State Law in Michigan
School districts are required to teach about communicable diseases at least once a year to all grades. School districts can choose to teach sex education. If they do, they must conform with State law related to sex education and reproductive health (§380.1169, §380.1506, §380.1507, §380.1507a, §380.1507b, §388.1766, §388.1766a).

Instruction in HIV/AIDS and sex education must stress that abstinence from sex is a responsible and effective method of preventing unplanned or out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and that it is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (§380.1169, §380.1507, §380.1507b).

Age-appropriate, medically accurate sex education materials must:

• Discuss the benefits of abstaining from sex until marriage or ceasing sexual activity
  
  
• Discuss the possible emotional, economic, and legal consequences of sex
  
  
• Stress that unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases can be consequences of sexual intercourse
  
  
• Discuss the legal responsibilities of parents
  
  
• Teach pupils how to say "no" to sexual advances
  
  
• Teach pupils that it is wrong to take advantage of, harass, or exploit another person sexually
  
  
• Teach refusal skills and encourage pupils to resist pressure to engage in risky behavior
  
  
• Teach pupils that they have the power to control personal behavior through reasoning, self-discipline, a sense of responsibility, self-control, and ethical considerations, such as respect for self and others.

What’s Unique in the State of Michigan
The Ingham County Abstinence Coalition, facilitated by the Ingham County Health Department, assists the community in developing a community-wide plan aimed at promoting abstinence from high-risk behavior, especially early sexual activity among 9 to 14 year olds.  The coalition provides parent workshops, sponsors youth events, and awards mini-grants to community groups.

MINNESOTA

What’s Interesting in the State of Minnesota
Currently, there is no State abstinence program in Minnesota. The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, in partnership with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, recently released Status of Girls in Minnesota.  The study indicates that girls are more likely than boys to be poor, suffer from assaults, and contract sexually transmitted diseases.

State Law in Minnesota
In 1999, the State law was amended to include instruction on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and “helping students to abstain from sexual activity until marriage.”        
While the State has not developed a specific curricular framework or set of standards, each school district must have “a comprehensive, technically accurate, and updated curriculum that includes helping students to abstain from sexual activity until marriage.” The curriculum must target “adolescents, especially those who may be at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and diseases.” Parents and other community members must be involved in the planning process. (See Minnesota Statutes 120B.20 and 121A.23.)

Quote of the Day

“Students need to know the basic 'birds and bees' information, but, more important, they need to have a values-based foundation on which to base the physiological information. And they need to have a clear understanding about the building blocks for a solid and successful future filled with hope and the ability to reach their goals. In short, abstinence programs focus on developing character traits and building relationship skills, including how to effectively say 'no' to short-term pleasure in favor of long-term well-being and happiness.”

(Janice Shaw Crouse, director of the Beverly LaHaye Institute, The Washington Times, April 25, 2008)