For two decades, policymakers have debated
the relative merits of sexuality education
that promotes abstinence as the only
acceptable form of behavior outside of marriage
and more comprehensive approaches
that discuss contraception as well. The
results of several new studies show that
these debates may have had a considerable
impact on what is being taught in the classroom;
moreover, they strongly indicate that
politicians—in their drive to promote
morality-based abstinence-only education—
are out of touch with what teachers, parents
and teens think should be taught.