Maggie Gallagher

Maggie Gallagher argues in the following viewpoint that encouraging teenagers to abstain from sex can help prevent teenage pregnancy. Furthermore, she asserts, parents have a great deal of influence over whether their teenagers remain virgins. Gallagher is a nationally syndicated columnist.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the study cited by Gallagher, what three factors help parents discourage their teens from having sex"

2. In the author’s words, how likely are teenagers to remain virgins if their parents discourage them from having sex"

3. What is the single biggest influence on whether or not teens have sex, in the author’s opinion"

When responsible adults talk to teen-agers about sex, what should we say"

Sex education is now as American as apple pie. On the importance of honest and open sexual...