Well, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year. This is a little longer but worth your time.

Over the past few weeks leading up to this New Year and a new Congress, the boldness of certain groups to perform "studies" — and I use that term loosely just as they seem to do — then release their findings as "facts," again following their lead of using loose terminology, has been very evident. Two, in particular, are the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) 'study' on parents/adults "desiring" contraceptive sex ed for children over Abstinence and Healthy Relationship Education and the more recent 'findings' by the Guttmacher Institute stating that a huge majority of adults over the past few decades engaged in premarital sex.

While they have obviously used, and continue to use, these so-called 'findings' to try to persuade public opinion as well as legislation, it pays to take a closer look. If you want to know the real story behind these studies and what they are intended to do, with the help of the liberal media, read on...


First of all, you need to know the source and intent of those who actually commissioned and/or performed the studies. Yes, while the Penn study has a university’s name attached to it, attempting to give 'credence' of higher educational authority to the "findings," the real impetus behind the results are evident in the fact that they used three biased questions as the basis for their 'study' and the strength of an 'editorial opinion' from a long-time contraceptive advocate as further proof of their findings.

If you want to know the objective truth about what adults and parents want, simply look at the best study ever done along these lines. It happened just three short years ago and was done by Zogby, the independent, highly regarded, political pollsters. Yes, I will tell you up front that this study was commissioned by Focus on the Family but the truth lies in the way the questions were presented — very truthful and straightforward.

In this excellent study, they actually took the information directly from the programs/curricula in question, i.e., contraceptive based sex education and abstinence until marriage education. That's right, they told the parents exactly what was being taught to and asked of students in the classroom. These were not shady, vague questions that left the answers, and thus the results, open to a great amount of bias and subjectivity, as the Penn study did.

In the Zogby study (Keyword search: Zogby study, 91%, parents favor abstinence education), they found that 91% of parents wanted abstinence until marriage education for their children and only 7% favored the teaching of contraception to their children.


Which study would you rather believe—the one with vague questioning or the one that states clearly what is reaching our youth? Enough on that study as the results and intent should be clear to any objective thinker. Now for the study on premarital sex.

First of all, you must again know the source. Guttmacher is the research arm of Planned Parenthood, which relies very heavily on teen and unmarried sexual activity for its profits. Guttmacher, however, will occasionally, not very often, present some objective and helpful findings. Having said that, I will also add that I'm not totally surprised by the findings of this study even if a bit biased toward Planned Parenthood ideology (Keyword search: Guttmacher study, 95%, premarital sex). Nor am I surprised by the media and other liberal group's use of the study - to slam abstinence until marriage sex education and promote contraceptive based sex ed.

However, once again, an objective and intelligent look at the study and its 'findings' will actually show just the opposite of what the media, Planned Parenthood, and some of their other liberal cronies, including legislators, are using it for.

The study covers the sexual habits of the "last few decades" which is actually great news for Abstinence until Marriage sex education and bad news for contraceptive ideologists. Think about it.

While advocates of the study claim falsely that billions of dollars have gone to Ab Ed over the past several years with none for contraceptive based programs, the reality is that a recent study actually showed that for every $12 of federal aid used for contraceptive based sex ed there was only $1 of federal support for Ab Ed. A report done right here in Kentucky just a couple of years ago shows the gap in funding to be even wider. All of the funding in this study occurred only after the abstinence funding became available.

Prior to this, "the last several decades," to be more succinct and in line with the Guttmacher findings, almost all funding went to contraceptive based programs! Now isn't that interesting that those interviewed in the study mostly came from the generations that were taught almost exclusively contraceptive based sex ed? Perhaps that is why the results of devastating premarital sex are so high. Maybe, and they certainly don’t want you to know this, high rates of premarital sex is what they were shooting for. Well, their own study shows they’ve achieved their goal with all of the devastating and destructive accompanying effects!

However, the most recent reports from none other than the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) show that not only is abstinence sexuality education working but even with the minimal funding mentioned above relative to contraceptive based programs, 53% of the positive results of reduced teen sexual activity (from over 54% in 1997 to 46% in 2005) and the lower teen pregnancy rates (lowest rates since the mid-1940s) are directly attributable to Ab Ed as well.

Oh, by the way, even if the 95% number is true, other objective studies on the health impact of early and premarital sex clearly show the damage that is being done. Why would we ever settle for this as a reason to stop teaching what is best for our youth and their future—Abstinence and Healthy Relationship Education? We don't do it when it comes to smoking, drugs, alcohol, driving, nutrition, etc. Why would we even think about the "it’s OK because 'everyone is doing it'” scenario when it comes to our youth and their sexuality and relationships? It's foolish and any objective, intelligent person would know that, see the connections to contraceptive based programs over the past few decades, and know that the positive changes as a result of Ab Ed are sorely needed and must continue.

So, let's recap the two most recent and popular studies of the liberal higher education and/or media and legislators:

1) Biased Penn study with vague questions goes directly against the findings of the objective Zogby study in which actual curriculum questions were presented to adults in the survey. Which do you believe? You can check them both out for yourself.

2) Guttmacher study used to slam Abstinence Education actually makes a great case for it as most of those in the study were educated under contraceptive based ideology. This is especially true when you compare it to the studies on today's youth that show positive trends in reducing sexual activity and teen pregnancy attributable mainly to abstinence until marriage sexuality and relationship education!

Finally, based on the intent and results of these studies, which would you choose: the Objective Truth or biased, contraceptive ideology?

By the way, our answer will determine the outcomes and futures of the youth and generation of the next several decades! It's clear to see where their agenda has led over "the past few decades" by their own studies.

We have great programs and curricula allowing us to make a difference and not follow the same path of “the past few decades.” Abstinence, positive relationship and sexuality education are making tremendous positive differences for today's youth. Your advocacy and support can help us continue these trends for our youth and their futures. Please contact me or visit us at www.heritageofky.org. And thanks for caring.