Pro-Life Dallas Texas Texans for Life Coalition: abstinence

Showing posts with label abstinence. Show all posts

Monday, November 12, 2007

Blogging gets you noticed.

Kyleen gets mentioned in Kristen Fyfe's blog.
@ NewsBusters.org

READ IT HERE
Does AP Stand for Anti-Abstinence Propaganda?

"Another voice AP could have quoted is Kyleen Wright, President of Texans for Life Coalition, who commented online about the article, "Liberals and ‘sexperts’ are trying to rewrite history with their junk science in order to affect the funding debate underway in Congress." She added, "The fact remains that during the 1980s, teen pregnancy and birth rates, abortion and STD rates were through the roof, having doubled by the end of the decade. This was when the condom/contraception groups reigned supreme, entering the schools in record numbers while exploiting AIDS fears.… When the devastating numbers were released in the early 1990s, many parents, community activists and organizations began offering abstinence education. As a result, the numbers began to decline immediately, and have declined every year since. We have seen 60-year lows this decade, something the contraception crowd was never able to accomplish."

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Thursday, November 8, 2007

Junk Science in the Media

The Dallas Morning News Reporter who interviewed me for the story in today's paper (see article below) left out some very important facts that I shared with him.

Liberals and "sexperts" are using junk science to discredit abstinence while Congress debates abstinence education funding. Unfortunately, the media is largely giving them a pass.

It is a fact that teen pregnancy and birth rates (not to mention STD & abortion rates) increased during the 1980's, when condom/contraceptive promoters reigned in the schools, exploiting AIDS fears. After seeing the devastating numbers in the early 1990's, Texans for Life and others began offering abstinence education in the schools. Since then, the pregnancy and birth rates have fallen every year, so that we have experienced 60-year lows in this decade. As my mom would say, the proof's in the puddin'!

Texas, like all border states, has struggled to match reductions in other states, but they are reductions nonetheless. Note that our pregnancy rate is not the highest. Texas, unlike other states, does not attempt to solve the teen pregnancy problem with abortion.

In 2003, Texas was awarded a federal grant for reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies and births, without increasing abortions.

[scroll down to read the article in its entirety]

Bless you for standing with us for life,

Kyleen Wright

PresidentTexans for Life Coalition

(SOURCE) Since 1990, pregnancy rates have declined substantially for teenagers aged 15--17 years. From 1990 to 2000, the pregnancy rate decreased 33%, from 80.3 per 1,000 females to 53.5, a record low. The birth rate declined 42%, from its peak at 38.6 in 1991 to 22.4 in 2003. The induced abortion rate peaked in 1983 at 30.7 and decreased by more than half to 14.5 by 2000.
SOURCES: Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw S. Estimated pregnancy rates for the United States, 1990--2000: an update; and Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Sutton PD. Births: preliminary data for 2003. These reports and additional information are available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm.

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article

Study: Abstinence-only programs aren't certain to curb teen sex

Including birth control in lessons to curb teen sex draws criticism

12:00 AM CST on Thursday, November 8, 2007

By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – Just teaching abstinence remains unproven as a way to stop teen sex, while programs that both discuss contraceptives and urge teens to wait have better track records, a leading sex education researcher said Wednesday.

Even as a bill to continue funding abstinence-only instruction moves forward in Congress, researcher Douglas Kirby said that only a couple of programs that exclusively focus on abstinence have yielded even "modestly encouraging results."

However, many studies have shown that combining the abstinence message with explicit discussions of birth control "is a realistic, effective approach that does not appear to confuse young people," Dr. Kirby said in a report for a nonpartisan group that tries to reduce teen pregnancies.

In Texas, which leads the nation in teen births, backers of the more comprehensive approach applauded the study, but a social conservative was quick to denounce it as "faulty science."
Kyleen Wright of Mansfield, president of the Irving-based Texans for Life Coalition, said that contraception instruction was tried in the schools in the 1980s and didn't work.

"Now, we see a new spin, all these new attacks on abstinence ... trying to discourage parents from supporting what they feel in their gut is right for their children," she said.
Ms. Wright said the release of the report was timed to sway Congress to end federal funding of abstinence education.

Dr. Kirby denied that.

On Tuesday, the House passed a spending bill that would spend $141 million on community-based abstinence education, the level requested by President Bush. Though the Senate approved a smaller amount, proponents of more comprehensive sex education in the schools and wider availability of birth control for teens are unhappy the Democratic Congress hasn't killed the program.

On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest network of sex education providers, called on Congress to stop funding programs that focus solely on abstinence. It pointed to the Kirby report as "definitively showing" that the programs don't work.

"As the mother of two teenagers, I want my kids to be taught about abstinence, but I also know that that's not enough," said Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America who is formerly of Austin and the daughter of former Texas Gov. Ann Richards.

In the report, which was based on a review of 115 studies of teenager sexual behavior, Dr. Kirby said abstinence-alone instruction is largely unproven, though he shied away from a sweeping denunciation.

Dr. Kirby, who for decades has evaluated sex-education programs for the government and other groups, conducted the review for the nonpartisan National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

He said two studies had found "weak but encouraging results" from abstinence programs in Ohio and Arkansas. However, he said more efforts to duplicate and study them are needed.
In April, Mathematica Policy Research released a report that was nine years and $8 million in the making. Scientists followed middle school children enrolled in four separate abstinence programs for about five years, and found no difference in the age of first intercourse between them and their peers.

In his review, Dr. Kirby said, "Two-thirds of the 48 comprehensive programs that supported both abstinence and the use of condoms and contraceptives for sexually active teens had positive behavioral effects," such as delaying the start of sexual activity and increasing use of condoms or other birth control.

He found no evidence that supplying youngsters with a dual message – explaining details about birth control and urging that they wait to have sex – "hastened the initiation of sex or increased the frequency of sex."

Dr. Janet Realini, a San Antonio public health official who supports more comprehensive instruction, hailed the study's other findings, such as that programs in which teens do community service or get one-on-one counseling can reduce teen pregnancy.
"There are some new, promising results on programs for parents," she said.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Abstinence Programs for Schools

Texans for Life Coalition has been teaching the sexual abstinence message for over nine years to young people throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

TLC is devoted to enriching the lives of young people by giving them the tools they need to say "No" to the sexual pressures they confront on a daily basis.

Abstinence-centered education reduces risks and improves adolescent health. We all want the best for our children. Taking steps to promote sexual abstinence among our children is well worth the time and effort.

Therefore, Texans for Life offers two basic programs to ANY school in the area, and each is geared to fit any schedule. Our presentations can last anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour and a half. We can teach small classes or large assemblies, and each of our programs is free of charge.

Call us today!

Texans for Life Coalition

P.O. Box 177727

Irving, TX 75017-7727

Phone # 972. 790.9044

Presentations and School Programs

Our programs are interactive. They include instruction, discussions, demonstrations and handouts. The depth of discussion varies to meet the needs of each group.

Elementary School Program

At the elementary level, we encourage the students to practice certain character traits necessary for becoming contented, successful adults. In particular, we discuss the traits of self-discipline (the ability to say "no" to ourselves even if we want something), responsibility (being answerable for our actions), and courage (the ability to do what is right even though others want us to do wrong).

The emphasis of these programs is on developing the character traits that will help children stay sexually pure and avoid the plague of sexually transmitted diseases.

Junior and Senior High Program

At the junior and senior high level, we encourage young people to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. Our message is taught in a fun, fast-paced, and interactive presentation.

Contact Us

for your program today!

Texans for Life Coalition
P.O. Box 177727
Irving, TX 75017-7727

Phone # 972. 790.9044

Testimonials

Principals, teachers, students and school nurses support the benefits of these programs:

"I thought everybody did it, so I wanted to, too. Now, I think you should wait for marriage." (Student)

"Excellent. Needs to be presented in every school. Teenagers have misrepresentations which were cleared up." (Teacher)

"I learned a lot during the presentation about STD's and AIDS. Now I wish I would have heard this presentation when I was 13." (Student)

"Wonderful to hear such a well-rounded message." (School Nurse)

The Consequences of Not Practicing Abstinence

Sexual Disease Transmission

The number of STD's among teens is growing at an alarming rate. One in five Americans between the ages of 15 and 55 are now infected with an incurable STD. (Medical Institute for Sexual Health)

Pregnancy

Each year, more than one million teens become pregnant. More than 40% will drop out of school, prematurely ending their formal education and lowering their chances of supporting themselves and the families they have begun. It is often the beginning of a downward spiral that leads to poverty and welfare.

We will help you make a difference for the children of your community.

Contact us today!

Texans for Life Coalition
P.O. Box 177727
Irving, TX 75017-7727

Phone # 972. 790.9044

Absintence program. Dallas, Texas.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Abstinence Program for Schools

Teaching Abstinence ...

. . .Saving Lives!

Abstinence because . . .
The choice is yours not your hormones.
There is no condom for your heart.
Self-control beats birth control.
Your spouse will thank you.
You have only one future.
It's the healthiest choice.
It is an act of love.

We believe it's your choice . . .

It's your life.

We're here to help young people make it happen.

We have been teaching the sexual abstinence message for over nine years to young people throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. We are devoted to enriching the lives of young people by giving them the tools they need to say "No" to the sexual pressures they confront on a daily basis.

Abstinence-centered education reduces risks and improves adolescent health. We all want the best for our children. Taking steps to promote sexual abstinence among our children is well worth the time and effort.

Therefore, we offer two basic programs to ANY school in the area, and each is geared to fit any schedule. Our presentations can last anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour and a half. We can teach small classes or large assemblies, and each of our programs is free of charge.

Call us today!

Texans for Life Coalition
P.O. Box 177727
Irving, TX 75017-7727
972. 790.9044

Presentations

Our programs are interactive. They include instruction, discussions, demonstrations and handouts. The depth of discussion varies to meet the needs of each group.

Elementary School Program

The emphasis of these programs is on developing the character traits that will help children stay sexually pure and avoid the plague of sexually transmitted diseases.

Junior and Senior High Program

At the junior and senior high level, we encourage young people to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. Our message is taught in a fun, fast-paced, and interactive presentation.

Contact Us for your program today!

Texans for Life Coalition
P.O. Box 177727
Irving, TX 75017-7727
972. 790.9044

Testimonials

Principals, teachers, students and school nurses support the benefits of these programs:

"I thought everybody did it, so I wanted to, too. Now, I think you should wait for marriage." (Student)

"Excellent. Needs to be presented in every school. Teenagers have misrepresentations which were cleared up." (Teacher)

"I learned a lot during the presentation about STD's and AIDS. Now I wish I would have heard this presentation when I was 13." (Student)

"Wonderful to hear such a well-rounded message." (School Nurse)

The Consequences of Not Practicing Abstinence

Sexual Disease Transmission

The number of STD's among teens is growing at an alarming rate. One in five Americans between the ages of 15 and 55 are now infected with an incurable STD. (Medical Institute for Sexual Health)

Pregnancy

We will help you make a difference for the children of your community.

Contact us today!

Texans for Life Coalition
P.O. Box 177727
Irving, TX 75017-7727
972. 790.9044

Absintence program. Dallas, Texas.