When preaching flops, try human nature  David Brooks The New
York Times  July 3, 2007|David Brooks The New York Times  A
little while ago, a national study authorized by Congress found
that abstinence education programs don't work. That gave
liberals a chance to feel superior because it turns out that
preaching traditional morality to students doesn't change
behavior.  But in this realm, nobody has the right to feel smug.
American schools are awash in moral instruction - on sex,
multiculturalism, environmental awareness and so on - and
basically none of it works. Sex ed doesn't change behavior.
Birth control education doesn't produce measurable results. The
fact is, schools are ineffectual when it comes to values
education. You can put an adult in front of a classroom or an
assembly, and that adult can emit words, but don't expect much
impact.  That's because all this is based on a false model of
human nature. It's based on the idea that human beings are
primarily deciders. If you pour them full of moral maxi