Abstinence program to expand

Fewer North Idaho teens are having babies, and pregnancy-prevention advocates are hoping North Idaho has started a statewide trend.

A program credited with reducing teen pregnancy rates in the Panhandle is being expanded, thanks to an increase in federal funding for abstinence-only education.

Peers Encouraging Abstinent Kids first was offered in North Idaho in 1996. Since then, the Panhandle Health District has reported a 43 percent decrease in teen pregnancy rates. Though PEAK may not be the sole reason for the decline in teen pregnancies, advocates of the program say it has made an impact.

Through the program, high school students are trained as PEAK mentors to teach younger students how to say no to sex.

Panhandle Health Director Jeanne Bock said PEAK has proved to be a successful model for helping North Idaho teens make good choices.

“I’m hoping that will be duplicated in all districts from Bonners Ferry to Arco to Idaho Falls,” Bock said, “and teen pregnancy rates will continue to fall.”

Teen pregnancy has decreased at a higher rate in North Idaho – where PEAK is offered – than in other areas of Idaho, said Shelli Rambo Roberson, spokeswoman for the Idaho Governor’s Council on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention.

“It’s easy to say ‘let’s try this,’ because it seems to be working well,” Roberson said.

The expansion is backed by $360,000 in funding. Just over half of that is from federal Title V funding designated for abstinence education and the rest is in matching funds from the state. Schools outside of North Idaho could begin PEAK programs as early as spring semester.

Roberson said one of the factors in PEAK’s apparent success might be that the program is taught by peer mentors.

“You train high school mentors and they give the message to the younger kids,” Roberson said. “It’s peer-to-peer education, all done under the supervision of a classroom teacher.”

And when it comes to sex – or not having it – Roberson said students “would rather hear that stuff from a peer than what they’d consider an old person.”

She said the program also helps solidify the commitment to abstain from sex for the older teens who act as mentors.

The federal funding to expand PEAK includes some caveats. The program must maintain its “abstinence-only” philosophy. That means no teaching about birth control or other methods of contraception.

Schools can still opt to teach about birth control or contraception outside of the PEAK program. In health and science classes, many local districts cover some ground that PEAK doesn’t, but most have chosen abstinence-based education over “sex ed” and leave discussions about sex and contraception up to parents.

“We talk about consequences,” Post Falls Superintendent Jerry Keane said. “But we try not to get in too heavily about the contraceptives and stuff like that.”

Idaho law supports leaving “the primary responsibility for family life and sex education, including moral responsibility” up to parents. The code also says that local school boards have the freedom to decide where to draw the line.

Lakeland School District doesn’t participate in PEAK, but the district’s teachings are abstinence-based, Assistant Superintendent Ron Schmidt said.

Though the curriculum doesn’t specifically cover methods of contraception, sometimes the issue comes up as students ask questions during health class, Schmidt said. If students have questions that aren’t answered in class, Schmidt said they can see school counselors who can refer them to community resources like Panhandle Health District.

“The bottom line is abstinence,” Schmidt said. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep Mom and Dad involved in this most delicate issue and try to honor their belief system.”

Roberson said she believes that to evaluate the effectiveness of abstinence-only education in schools, teaching must be limited to abstinence.

“Abstinence-only education is making the assumption that, given the right information, kids will make the best choice,” she said, “which is to remain abstinent.”

The Idaho Governor’s Council on Pregnancy Prevention is handing out brochures to encourage students to stay sex-free. One lists 101 reasons to remain abstinent, such as: “No worry about pregnancy. Good role model for friends. Sex might be more exciting if you wait. Easier to break up later. Will know the person likes you – not just your body.”

Another brochure has ideas for sex-free dates, like going to a park or playing games.

Roberson said some people might object to spending tax dollars to promote abstinence.

On its Web site, Planned Parenthood says “abstinence-only programs force-feed students religious ideology that condemns homosexuality, masturbation, abortion and contraception. In doing so, they endanger students’ sexual health.”

Because schools are opting to do away with sex ed, students “suffer from ignorance,” according to the Web site. The site cites examples such as one male student who asked where his cervix was and a teen girl who wondered if she could get pregnant by having oral sex.

Roberson said taxpayers end up paying more to deal with the teen pregnancy epidemic than they would to promote abstinence.

“We spent over $3 million on teen pregnancy births alone in 2002,” Roberson said. That doesn’t include other related expenses, like state aid for the teen mothers and their babies, she said.

“Look at all the money saved for every kid we get to make a commitment,” she said.