WASHINGTON, D.C., 13 March 2008 – Erik Whittington, director for American Life League’s youth outreach program, Rock for Life, reacted to the recent Centers for Disease Control study that indicates that 1 in 4 teens in the United States has an STD.
“We keep hearing that if we spend more money on sex-ed programs, these rates will drop,” said Whittington. “But the more we focus on sex-ed and less on sexual purity, the higher the STD rates go up. The CDC report is proof that sex-ed programs are failing teens.”
Federal researchers released a report Tuesday morning, indicating that an estimated 3.2 million teenage girls between ages 14 and 19 have one or more of four different STDs. The report also indicated that nearly half the teens surveyed admitted to being sexually active, and about 40 percent of those were infected.
“While the rest of the media is focusing on the STD statistics, the bigger issue is that at least 50 percent of teens in the United States are engaging in sexual activities,” continued Whittington. “Not only has sex education in this country failed to curtail the spread of STDs, but it has encouraged kids to experiment sexually. This is just further proof that teaching kids about sex without the virtue of chastity and abstinence until marriage leads to trouble.”
“We encourage parents to get involved in the schools to find out what their kids are being taught,” concluded Whittington. “Get Planned Parenthood and these failed sex-ed programs away from children. They do nothing but harm!”
American Life League was co-founded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and it is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Michael Hichborn at 540.659.7900 or at 540.226.9178.
For More Information:
- Washington Post: In Study, 1 in 4 Girls is Found to Have STD (11 March 2008)
- US News and World Report: U.S. Syphilis Rate Grows for 7th Year in a Row (12 March 2008)
- American Life League: The Flawed Condom
- CDC Study on Condoms and Increase in STDs (23 January 2003)
- American Life League: Chastity: The Anti-Planned Parenthood Way (15 February 2008)
- American Life League: Formation of Conscience and Education in Sexual Morality
Released 13 Mar 08