Ironically, Palin Opposes Sex-Ed
With the news that Bristol Palin, the unmarried 17-year-old daughter of Sen. John McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, it’s difficult not to recognize the irony of the situation — Palin is an ardent opponent of sexual education programs in schools. FiveThirtyEight.com featured a very prescient post this morning comparing Palin’s positions with those favored by the American people. On the issue of sex ed, FiveThirtyEight.com finds Palin, who “would replace sex-ed programs with abstinence-only programs,” is “far outside of the mainstream.” It links a pro-family values Alaskan blog, Eagle Forum Alaska, where you can find a 2006 gubernatorial questionnaire, which contained a question on sex ed.
“„3. Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?
“„[Sarah Palin]: Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.
Last year, a comprehensive federal study debunked the effectiveness of abstinence-only education programs. One can only wonder how many girls would find themselves in Bristol’s situation if Alaska, or the United States, enacted the policies favored by her mother.
