How to Become an Abstinence-Only Educator

Abstinence only education is one of the most depressing phenomena in modern American culture. It's been demonstrated not to deter sex between teenagers, and also shown to drastically increase the rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy, but I'm sure you knew all that already.

What's fascinating, though not surprising, is that it takes no training to become "qualified" to teach abstinence only education. Stacie Murphy has a wonderful piece about how she became certified, and why the certification systems are ridiculous, inane and irresponsible (passing an internet test qualifies you to teach children? really?).

She recounts her experience of the test:

One question asked me to identify the founder of "Playboy" magazine. Another asked whether premarital sex or abstinence was more likely to lead to "stunted personal development," and "corruption of character."

A true/false question read, "Contraception may be appropriate for some unmarried adults and teens." Knowing my audience, I (correctly, according to my testers) chose "false."

Finally, I was asked to write a paragraph about why abstinence was so important. I purposely made my statement as vague and inane as possible, just to see what would happen. How did I do? I passed with 89 percent.

Her conclusion is great, but it's only making a point that we've heard many times before. If only someone other than the choir was listening.

We are doing a lousy job of teaching our young people how to make healthy and responsible sexual decisions. But that's what comes from leaving it up to the clowns.