A friend of mine from junior high school came from a very conservative Catholic family. She was not so conservative, or so Catholic. She started dating boys in 8th grade. Her parents were, they thought, fairly strict with her. So if she wanted to visit with boys, the boy had to come to her house when the parents were home. My friend and her boyfriend could spend time in the common areas of the house or in my friend’s room with the door open. The parents figured that was pretty good. So my friend had sex for the first time in her room, with her bedroom door open, when her parents were home. Someone else I know had sex for the first time in the backyard, when her parents were home. Another at a well chaperoned party. Another at school. Another at church. None of these young people used a condom correctly.

The point is, sex feels good, and any teenager can find a time and a place to have sex. Because, let’s be honest, it doesn’t take all that long. Proper knowledge is the best way for adolescents to keep themselves safe, not force through rigid rules.