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Tamsen Valoir

Molecular biologist, patent lawyer

Tamsen Valoir is a PhD molecular biologist and patent lawyer in Houston.

Latest Columns

Sex-ed must be “medically accurate and complete”

All in all, a new Texas sex education law is an improvement over the old abstinence-only program, which was both factually incorrect and prevented participating schools from moving beyond merely saying “don't do it.” Texas, the state with the highest repeat teen pregnancy rate in the nation, should welcome this new law requiring “medically accurate and complete” sex-ed.

Meeting halfway: Abstinence, plus marital education

Many conservatives are against comprehensive sex education, noting the skyrocketing rates of teen pregnancies in the early 60’s and believing that teaching contraceptive use gives teens mixed messages. Liberals, on the other hand, urge that education is the key to reducing teen pregnancy and disease. Surely there is ground where both sides can meet for respectful dialog.