The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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September 9, 2010

Your View: Critical question about Emmer must be answered

Faye Mattison, Mankato



Why did Gov. Pawlenty refuse to even apply for a fully-funded federal program that would provide Minnesota teens with comprehensive sex education in favor of failed abstinence only policies?

In the last decade, more than $1.5 billion has been wasted on dangerous abstinence-only programs that deny teenagers life-saving information. It’s time for real solutions that will help prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections among teenagers.

Studies show that abstinence-only programs don’t reduce the number of teen pregnancies or STIs. Abstinence-only programs deny teenagers medically accurate information about birth control and sexually-transmitted infections.

When young people don’t have the facts, they base their decisions on hearsay. I remember a young woman from my early college years who became pregnant because she believed that her safe time of the month was during the middle of her cycle (when she was ovulating). That failure of education changed the entire direction of her life, as well as that of her boyfriend.

Just like carrying an umbrella doesn’t cause rain, accurate, fact-based sex ed doesn’t cause young people to act irresponsibly or to have sex. In fact, honest information empowers teens to make healthy, responsible decisions.

Will Tom Emmer carry on Tim Pawlenty’s tradition of putting politics before the health of Minnesotans? This critical question must be answered before November.



 

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