FAQ's Menu
Contact info
Keith Deltano
please fill out the
contact form or contact us at:
Freedom Education
6043 Smithwood Road
Julian, NC 27283
Ph: 888-772-9683 or
Ph: 336-685-9683
Fx: 336-685-7079
News Media
Speaker tells SHS freshmen 'abstinence is cool'
http://www.newssun.com
published: Wednesday, May 13, 2009
SEBRING -- Members of the freshman class of Sebring High School learned the benefits of avoiding sex before marriage during a ninth-grade Teen Panel held Tuesday morning.
The guest speaker for the event in the packed Smith Center was Keith Deltano, a man who says he has been involved in the debate of compressive sex education versus abstinence education since 1993.
Deltano was a math teacher who used comedy and other fun methods to get his message across and harnessed those skills to keep all eyes on him inside the packed room.
"Studies show what we do is effective," he said in an interview before the event.
Recently the Heartland Rural Health Network was awarded $2.3 million to be used over a five-year period for abstinence education.
The Community Based Abstinence Education grant will be used to promote abstinence only before marriage and address other "risky behaviors" such as smoking, drugs and alcohol in Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties.
While abstinence is overarching focus of the grant, Deltano didn't eschew condoms while captivating the audience.
"I'm not anti-condom," he told those in attendance. "I'm not saying they don't work ... condoms do reduce the chance of pregnancy ... and do reduce the chance of some diseases."
The word he emphasized, and made the audience repeat, was "reduce."
While it makes sex safer, how much safer is it? he asked.
He hammered the names of several STDs over and over for students and introduced facts from a 2008 study that stated 1 in 4 teenage girls had a STD.
The study, conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was an analysis of nationally representative data on 838 girls from age 14 to 19 who took part in a 2003-04 government health survey.
These statistics combined with condom failure rates make the chance of contracting a STD higher than students may have thought, and Deltano had a bone to pick with the condom companies as well.
"The clinical rates for success are misleading," he said. "That's in a laboratory ... and doesn't include emotional consequences. Condoms don't protect the heart."
While admitting his Web site name (www.virginityrocks.com) is "kind of geeky," he told students to visit it for more facts.
Deltano will be speaking at tonight's Youth and Parent rally in Avon Park as well. The free event, held at Union Congregational Church at 28 N. Butler St., is open to the public and will run from 6-7:30 p.m.
Keith Deltano’s Message is Abstinence
Abstinence speaker Keith Deltano had an important message for seventh-and eighth grade student in the gymnasium at Marco Island Charter Middle School Tuesday afternoon.
There are things that are good in life that are bad in certain situations,” Deltano said, referring to sexual intercourse. Deltano uses comedy and invokes audience participation to get a serious message about sex across to students. Toward the end of his chat, the entire school chanted, “It’s not what I want for my future.” The U.S. Army veteran, a father of three and a former teacher, explained to students the importance of delaying sexual activity.
Deltano said his message of abstinence also can be applied to alcohol and drug use.“When it comes to your body, you’ve got to get an attitude.” He said. “It’s about time people start being proud about making the right decision.” Deltano shared the story of the birth of his firstborn son and expressed the importance of being there for his wife. “I was there for her,” he said. “If was a wonderful experience. A beautiful thing.”
Deltano said one in four sexually active kids will get a sexually transmitted disease and that 11 percent of girls will get pregnant before they are high school seniors. According to Deltano, today’s culture pushes sex, but often leaves out the consequences –pregnancy and disease. Kids, when growing up, can get a sense of invincibility, Deltano said. The risk is there, but it becomes rationalized. “You’re aware of it, but you think it won’tbe you,” he said. Part of you thinks it’ll never happen.” Deltano compared the success rate to a test score or the weather. Most people would be satisfied with 90 percent on a math test and expect a sunny day if the weather report said there was a 10 percent chance of rain. Deltano urged the students not to buy into the safe sex philosophy. “Safe sex is everywhere, “he said. “But what about the failure rates?” Often the failure rates are based on a one-time use of the contraceptive product, Deltano said. “There is nothing out there that has a 100 percent success rate, “Deltano told the students, “Virginity never fails.”
Takes guts to wait
Many people equate sex to toughness in men, Deltano said. For him, toughness is achieved when a guy is responsible and mature enough to be a father. It takes more guts to not do it,” he said. “Sex is going to be there; it’s not like it’s going out of style.”
Deltano appeared as part of the school’s Project Reality curriculum. For more on his message, visit virginityrock.com