Abstinence Programs Might Work

This article states that researchers have reported that sex education classes that focus on children remaining abstinent can persuade a significant proportion of teens to delay sexual activity.

The Obama administration eliminated more than 170 million in annual federal funding targeted at abstinence programs after a series of reports concluded that the approach was ineffective.  It has been found that states that prescribe abstinence only sex education programs in public schools have significantly higher birth rates than states with more comprehensive sex education programs. 

Teen pregnancy negatively impacts the economy.  Teen moms are less likely than their peers to receive a high school diploma.  They are very unlikely to attend college.  This leads to significant amounts of lost earnings.  Teenage pregnancy affects the job sector and education.  They are more likely to be reliant on government programs.  According to the Alliance for Excellent Education it's estimated that over the course of a teen moms lifetime she will cost the nation 260,000 dollars in lost earnings, taxes, and productivity.