One of the defined areas of San Antonio Tea Party concern is the “protection of individual rights and liberties while promoting personal responsibility, morality, and religious expression” (see SATP Mission).  Given that, we happily note the Department of Health and Human Services’ recent (though reluctant) release of a study that highlights the importance AND SUCCESS of this concept in the lives of the majority of American parents.  Following is the story, as reported by Bill Bumpas of OneNewsNow -You may also read the full report .

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Feds listen, release pro-abstinence study

Bill Bumpas – OneNewsNow – 8/30/2010 4:00:00 AM

In response to heavy criticism, the Department of Health and Human Services has reluctantly released the full results of a national study that favors abstinence education.

The survey, which was initially released in summary form only, revealed that about 70 percent of parents and their teenagers believed teens should wait until marriage to have sex. But when a researcher requested the full report and was denied by HHS officials, that launched a grassroots effort by pro-family groups encouraging the public to file Freedom of Information Act requests.

“As a result of the overwhelming support of citizens across the U.S. doing just that, [the government] relented and posted the full report,” explains Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA). “We’re glad that they made a good decision in that regard for clarity and openness.”

The full results show that a majority of those surveyed favor abstinence education. But Huber goes on to tell OneNewsNow that despite the good news, she is very concerned with the White House’s sex education policy.

“We know that the current administration does not support abstinence education, which is hard to understand in and of itself because this is kind of a common-sense approach and a common-sense strategy,” she notes. “You kind of scratch your head and wonder why anyone would not want young people to receive the message and the skills they need to avoid sexual experimentation when they’re teens.”

But the NAEA executive director is elated by the response that overwhelmed the Department of Health and Human Services and prompted the full release of the study.

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