Proven Sex-Ed Programs Get A Boost From Obama
Under the Obama administration, the U.S. is shifting gears on teen pregnancy prevention. Everyone is still on-message that abstinence should be the core message of any federally funded program, but comprehensive sex education is about to get a boost from the federal government. This year's federal budget is devoting more than $114 million to what it calls an "evidence-based approach." Abstinence-only programs will still be funded, but most of the money will go to communities that choose programs that have shown they reduce teen pregnancy.
Few have more experience with teen sexuality education and adolescent development than Michael Carrera, a well-known expert in the field. His interest in preventing teen pregnancy goes back to his experiences as a junior high school teacher in the Bronx 50 years ago. "In those days, there was something called dating and courting," Carrera says. "I learned that if you spoke about sexuality to young people, they sat still." In 1984, after years of study in what was then an emerging field, Carrera started a number of after-school programs that were sponsored by New York City's Children's Aid Society.
Those programs are now incorporated into a number of curriculums in the U.S. He's had to raise funding for these programs through national foundations. Now, schools and community groups that want to try Carrera's model can apply for federal funding under the Replication of Evidence-based Programs. Carrera's is one of 28 programs approved for funding, because it's proven to get children to delay sex.
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