Sex education: politicians, parents, teachers and teens.

For two decades policymakers have debated the relative merits of sexuality education that promotes abstinence as the only acceptable form of behavior outside of marriage and more comprehensive approaches that discuss contraception as well. The results of several new studies show that these debates may have had a considerable impact on what is being taught in the classroom; moreover they strongly indicate that politicians--in their drive to promote morality- based abstinence-only education--are out of touch with what teachers parents and teens think should be taught. (excerpt)