[gondramB]

Based on outcomes, sex ed and birth control availability correlate with lower STDs and lower teen pregnancy and thus less abortions.

thus I support sex ed and birth control availability

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Based on outcomes, sex ed and birth control availability correlate with lower STDs and lower teen pregnancy and thus less abortions."

I doubt this. California, which pushes, promotes, and provides contraceptives to singles all over the state via student health and counseling staff, county health offices, subsidies to Planned Parenthood and other providers, and a constant drumbeat in the schools, has skyrocketing STD rates.

Furthermore, recent negative evaluations of abstinence programs have had serious methodological flaws, as you can see HERE. And I have seen other, quite detailed analyses of the research, citing many of the same difficulties:

• The study looked at only four programs, all of them very small, very minimal (sometime sconsisting of just a couple of lectures to 6th graders!) and none of them utilized the extensive socially interactive, and factual content-rich methods used today in abstinence ed programs;
• In those programs, the teaching of abstinence ended in middle school, rather than being reinforced in high school, when it really counts.
• All four programs were designed in the early days of abstinence education. The programs did not involve any coordination with other curricula, e.g. with health, biology, or media-awareness classes, which is now considered an essential factor for a successful program.

So what "outcomes" do you want to document for us?

[Campion]

Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.

What kind of "Gospel" promotes and enables the sin of fornication, with the excuse that "kids are going to do it anyway"?

Certainly not the Christian one.