For years, Americans have been torn on the right kind of sex education program to patronize: that promoting abstinence or one espousing the virtues of safe sex. This is an issue many ways removed from resolution, pitted between Reds and Blues and confusing the course of federal funding.

A study from the University of Pennsylvania might finally be tipping the scales. Published February 2010 in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, their study showed that an abstinence-based program effectively prevents teens from having sex.

Led by UPenn professors John Jemmott, Loretta Jemmott and Geoffrey Fong, the research tracked 662 African-American students in Philadelphia. Subjects were sixth and seventh graders, at an average age of 12.

Participants were classified into three sex education groups, plus a control group. One group was consigned to the abstinence program, the other to the safe sex program. Others participated in the comprehensive group, combining lessons from the former programs.

Students undertook these programs on Saturday mornings from 2001 to 2004. Classes took eight hours for all three courses, the comprehensive course taking up extra hours for nutrition lessons.

But traditional classes they were not. Teachers do not lecture but use games, brainstorming, and other engaging activities. The abstinence course employed interactive exercises, wherein students practiced decision-making, learned the risks of HIV and STDs, improved their communication skills. For the most part, the activities compelled participants to consider the consequences of pregnancy on their future plans.

In the end, 33.5% of the subjects taking up the abstinence-only course reported having sex, while 52% did in the safe sex-only course. Forty-two percent was reported in the comprehensive program, with 47% in the control group.

Naturally, many abstinence program advocates interpreted this as a victory. But the researchers said their program used “no preaching and it’s not moralistic.” In comparison, abstinence programs funded by the Bush Administration emphasized morality, insofar as they urge youth to delay sex until marriage. Conversely, Obama’s government funds scientifically-proven pregnancy prevention programs instead.

While this debate is raging, teens everywhere are becoming parents. Statistics show that the teen pregnancy rate in the US has climbed after 10 years of dwindling figures.