President Bush's proposal to almost double the amount of money the federal government spends on abstinence education to $273 million in fiscal 2005 has raised the stakes in the battle over what to teach children and adolescents about sex. Only a small percentage of Americans believe abstinence-only programs are the best form of sex education for young people. This article discusses the pros and cons of schools teaching about abstinence from sexual intercourse versus focusing on teaching teenagers how to make responsible decisions about sexual activity.