What does Obama think about abstinence education?

Answer 1

President Obama understands that abstinence is the only proven way to avoid pregnancy (other than getting sterilized). But he also understands science, and he also understands reality. States that have abstinence-only education also have high rates of teen pregnancy, and contrary to partisan myths, it is fairly obvious that abstinence-only education does not work. As a parent, I am sure he would prefer that teens abstain, but as a realist, he understands that many teens will not. Thus, to avoid teen pregnancy, it is important for students to understand all the choices they have, and to behave responsibly. This means using contraception if and when they engage in sexual activity. The president has advocated for fact-based courses, and for students being given accurate information about all aspects of sex education: teaching about abstinence is one element of such a program, but so is teaching about delaying the age of having sex, and so is discussing the importance of contraception.