According to a study by the nonpartisan National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, abstinence-only sex ed has no effect on the sexual practices of teenagers.

And, according to the researcher, comprehensive sex ed programs

improved teens' knowledge about the risks and consequences of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and gave them greater "confidence in their ability to say 'no' to unwanted sex."

I had pretty fabulous sex ed at my public high school, and I'm always shocked when I hear about the ridiculous stuff that my friends observed in less competent programs--hearing about their experiences makes me realize how crucial it is to make comprehensive sex ed a priority in public education. This study is one more in a long line of reasons to ditch abstinence-only programs and instead respect high school students enough to offer them practical knowledge about sexual health.

via Feministing, naturally.