Germaine O'Malley Wensley

About the author: Germaine O'Malley Wensley, a registered nurse, is a member of the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Commission on Catholic Life Issues and the former president of California Nurses for Ethical Standards.

AIDS is becoming one of the leading causes of death among teenagers and young adults. The distribution of condoms in schools, considered by some to be a solution to the crisis, actually compounds the problem by promoting promiscuous behavior. In addition, condom distribution programs are costly, and condoms' effectiveness against HIV infection is questionable. Abstinence is the only effective weapon against AIDS. Our schools need to develop abstinence-based sex education programs and begin teaching students the virtue of self-discipline.

Everyone agrees that the spread of AIDS needs to be halted, but...