You might find this blog post a slight departure from my usual rants about communication, public relations, marketing, and anything else business-focused. I thought I’d take a time out because of an interesting article I read about a small movement in Texas to uphold traditional values.
According to a story in the New York Times, a small group trying to teach abstinence programs in school is facing threats to its future. Virginity Rules teaches abstinence in public schools (I’ve included an image from advertisement below), an idea that up until the end of the last century, was an accepted value. And yet, it faces certain “death” in the public school system in areas where it has been instigated.
The problem: A comprehensive study has shown that it is not delaying the “sexual debut” of our youth. In other words, teenagers aren’t listening. Despite efforts to slow down the sexual introduction and activity, the programs which feature media like the picture above coupled with quotes like “No is where I stand until I have a wedding band,” simply aren’t working.
Perhaps the real question isn’t whether the program is working, it’s who’s speaking louder? It’s no revelation that media today is a far cry from the standards of only 50 years ago. But do we really know the ramifications of such a liberal approach to media? I’ve always thought that preaching “safe sex” was simply a shadow of failure to uphold the values of marital and pre-marital fidelity.
But, this story raises one slightly larger question: Does the majority always follow in line with what’s best for society? The Founders of this country believed so. And it seems to be the basis of democracy, pockets of dissent will always exist, but the majority will uphold the best values. But in this situation, I disagree. In putting faith in studies that show the majority is not listening to abstinence programs, we’re merely giving in to second-rate morals, and letting a skewed morality dictate the demise of our society. Safe sex education is merely the lesser of two evils (the other being “free sex” education).
And, I know that I may be in the minority when I say this, but I don’t think that “comprehensive studies” that tell us that abstinence education isn’t working, can dictate the moral values of our country. Often, it is the minority that has it right.
right on, my friend. i love your last point–so many times i have seen studies that are supposed to convince me that my entire way of thinking and living are dangerous to my health or ineffective.
and the funny thing is, a short time later, i always find another study that says the opposite.