The Right’s Distortions on Sex Education

Montanans are seeing a classic right-wing distortion campaign on sex education — much like we saw during the 2009 legislative session in Austin. You will recall that last year right-wing opponents in Texas screamed that medically accurate, evidence-based sex education would “promote recreational and gay sex.” Unfortunately, absurd scare tactics like that cowed enough lawmakers to […]

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Talking Points

From today’s TFN News Clips: “The big message is that when it comes to children’s health, Texas kids are showing many signs that things are getting worse, not better.” — Dr. Frances Deviney, Texas Kids Count director, discussing a new report that shows Texas has the nation’s third-highest teen birthrate, is experiencing a rise in the […]

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Kissing Abstinence-Only Goodbye

It looks like Texas schools are growing tired of waiting around for state law-makers to reverse the state’s addiction to failed abstinence-only programs. They are taking matters into their own hands. Earlier this week San Marcos CISD became the latest in a rapidly expanding list of Texas districts — including schools in the Dallas-area , […]

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Texas Sex Ed: No Laughing Matter

This week the Huffington Post featured 14 posters from bygone days apparently aimed at deterring young folks from premarital sex. While the rather peculiar messaging on these old-time posters might provoke a brief smile, that approach to sex education is about as effective as the so-called abstinence-only programs used in most Texas public schools today […]

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The Right’s ‘Busybody State’

At the end of the day, what they really want is control. Far-right groups complain loudly about intrusive government, of course, but don’t believe it. Those same groups are often fine with “big government” — especially when they want to control the private lives of other people. As the contraceptive pill marks its 50-year anniversary, […]

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