The Washington Post published an article yesterday claiming that “abstinence-only programs might work.”  The article presents a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine where 662 African American students in the 6th and 7th grades were placed into random groups to evaluate the efficiency of an abstinence-focused education in young students.

The study separated the students into four groups: the first group participated in an 8-hour abstinence-focused class, the second group participated in an 8-hour safer sex-only class that focused on condom use, the third group participated in 8 and 12-hour classes that integrated both, and the fourth participated in a healthy-living class that focused on other ways to be healthy not relating to sexual activity.

Two years later, the students from each of the four groups reported whether or not they had lost their virginity. Fewer of the abstinence-focused students (33%)  reported losing their virginity than did the safer sex-only students (52%). Students who participated in the comprehensive program had less sexual partners than those in the control group (the healthy-living class).

While abstinence-only advocates are celebrating their self-described ‘victory,’ it’s important to pay attention to a few key details of this study that liberals and conservatives alike seem to be leaving out.

The study presented looks at abstinence-focused education, not the traditional abstinence-only education that has been proved to fail for years.

“It did not take a moralistic tone, as many abstinence programs do. Most notably, the sessions encouraged children to delay sex until they are ready, not necessarily until married; did not portray sex outside marriage as never appropriate; and did not disparage condoms.”  –The Washington Post

This study operated much like a lot of comprehensive sexual education programs do today– tell students not to have sex until they’re ready, but if they do to use condoms. While the abstinence-focused class didn’t hand out condoms to students, it didn’t cast them in a negative light either.

“There is no data in this study to support the ‘abstain until marriage’ programs, which research proved ineffective during the Bush administration,” said James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth.

Another detail many seem to ignore is that the second group of students is in a safer sex-only class. This class emphasizes condom use and does not promote abstinence. Most comprehensive classes taught today emphasize abstinence first, condoms later. The second group of students were placed in a class that is not likely to be found in many educational institutions.

The Obama administration is planning to launch a $114 pregnancy prevention initiative for programs that have been proven to work through research. The administration says a program like this one could be eligible for funding.

The question is- is this any different than what we’ve been trying to teach so far?