IRVINE : High School Video Promotes Abstinence

The school board has approved the use of a videotape that encourages students to abstain from sex.

The video, entitled “Sex, Lies and the Truth”, will be shown to high school students enrolled in health classes.

State laws require that school districts include abstinence as part of their sex-education curriculum, said Sally Snyder, the Irvine Unified School District’s health services coordinator.

The 20-minute video features TV actor Kirk Cameron, as well as other celebrities and professional athletes. In the video, they advocate abstinence with the slogan: “Waiting is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of self-control.”

“These are people that teen-agers might consider role models,” Snyder said.

The video also mentions that condoms are not always effective in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

The district purchased one videotape, which health teachers can use in the classroom. The tape, purchased for $85, was produced by Focus on the Family, Snyder said.

Teaching abstinence is just one part of the district’s sex-education curriculum. Students also learn about sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS prevention and human reproduction, Snyder said.

Although the district does not advocate condom use, students do learn about the effectiveness rate of condoms and other forms of contraception, she said.