Teen Straight Talk in the Valley promotes sexual abstinence

By ASHLEY LUTHERN

VIENNA — Teen Straight Talk representatives can sum up their mission in one word: Abstinence.

“Youngsters get confused because of mixed messages,” said Ted Smith, program leader for Teen Straight Talk. “People will tell them, ‘We don’t want you to do it, but if you do, protect yourself.’ That’s why we say total abstinence from sex.”

The Vienna-based nonprofit organization was founded 20 years ago by former Warren teacher Mary Duke and since then has delivered its message of abstinence to more than 50 area schools.

Ohio law requires public schools to stress to students that abstinence is the only way to avoid sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies and to emphasize abstinence from sexual activity until after marriage.

Leaders of Teen Straight Talk say the schools do more than emphasize abstinence.

“The schools have to please everybody, so they have mixed or comprehensive sex education,” Duke said. “Twenty years ago we had a more open audience to total abstinence, but now the other message is out front.”

Duke estimates that after hearing a Teen Straight Talk program, up to 90 percent of the students commit to staying abstinent until marriage, based on evaluations that are collected after every program.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.