It should be common knowledge that performing the same task time after time will not garner new results.

Many schools are teaching abstinence-only education in hopes of preventing teenagers from having sex.

The New York Times reported last week that, despite the prominence of abstinence education, there has been no sign that teenagers are waiting to have sex.

As a result of this finding, health departments in 11 states have rejected abstinence education in public schools.

Other states, including Colorado and Washington, have enacted laws that could severely limit, or even permanently do away with, abstinence-only education. In June, the programs were given their first cut since 2001.

This is a great step for policymakers to take. Unfortunately, about $176 million still is granted to these programs, according to The New York Times.

Politicians and public officials have been in the habit of taking the supposed moral high road for some time now, and have been impervious to any information that may show flaws in their reasoning.

For example, before abstinence programs began being pushed heavily, data reported by The New York Times showed less sex and more use of contraceptives among teenagers, resulting in a decline of pregnancy and birth rates.

Meanwhile, states like Texas are putting millions of dollars into abstinence programs and show the smallest decline.

But, somehow, the moral high road is supposed to be better for Americans.

In actuality, these policies are a way for religion to encroach upon the state. Teaching against sex before marriage is, essentially, an ideal originating in religion and has no place in a public education setting.

This teaching is used to ensure the presence of traditional marriage and traditional family values - a term often used but rarely defined.

It is thinly veiled agendas like this that allow religious concepts such as abstinence and intelligent design to be taught in many schools, instead of scientifically grounded information.

Students should not be subjected to religious indoctrination under the guise of objective education.

What should be taught is the value of wise decisions and the importance of being safe while sexually active.

It is unlikely and delusional to think teenagers will cease to be sexually active. And despite the popular belief, teaching about contraception use does not result in an increase in teenage sexual behavior. According to The New York Times, the opposite is true.

The best thing public schools can do is equip students with the proper knowledge and resources to be as safe as possible.