Petition to: President of AAP Board
Sign here: American Academy of Pediatrics tells doctors to start sex-ed in early childhood, avoid abstinence education
Sign here: American Academy of Pediatrics tells doctors to start sex-ed in early childhood, avoid abstinence education
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a well-known medical organization with over 64,000 members, just encouraged doctors to start sex education during early childhood and to avoid abstinence education.
Sign this petition to ask the AAP to change their stance on this issue and make a public statement affirming that decisions on sex education should remain the purview of parents, not pediatricians.
The Academy’s lead researcher on this project, Dr. Cora Collette Breuner, argues that, “Research has conclusively demonstrated that programs promoting abstinence-only [behavior] until heterosexual marriage occurs are ineffective.” The concerning report encourages pediatricians to begin discussions about sex in “early childhood,” and continue them throughout adolescence.
Scott Phelps, executive director of the Abstinence & Marriage Education Partnership, rightly criticized the Academy’s decision. He told LifeSiteNews: “Pediatricians have a responsibility to support and encourage abstinence, by clearly communicating to young patients that reserving all sexual activity for marriage is the safest, healthiest lifestyle choice.” He continued, "Any message that contradicts this primary prevention standard by supporting, condoning, or encouraging non-marital sexual activity of any kind is irresponsible and harmful.”
As the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention clearly states: “The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have sex.” Furthermore, both common sense and science tell us that abstinence -- reserving all sexual activity for marriage -- is the best way to avoid non-marital pregnancy.
Help us tell the AAP to support the message of abstinence for unmarried youth as the optimal health standard.
When you sign this petition, your note will be sent directly to the President of the Board of the AAP and the AAP Contact Center.