Could Draw the Line/Respect the Line be considered an "Abstinence Only" program?

The short answer is no. Draw the Line emphasizes abstinence, but not to the exclusion of mentioning condoms or other forms of protection.

The Draw the Line/Respect the Line curriculum is based on the principle that not having sexual intercourse is the healthiest sexual limit for students in middle school. However, while it is certainly abstinence-based, it is not an “abstinence-only” program in full accordance with the federal A–H Guidelines.

The Grade 6 emphasis is on non-sexual situations in which youth may experience pressure, for example, to steal, use alcohol or smoke, and the lessons feature limit setting and refusal skills in these contexts. At Grades 7 and 8, the curriculum’s main focus is on limit setting and refusal skills to avoid HIV/STI and pregnancy. While abstinence is presented as the best choice for teens, protection methods are also mentioned in Grade 7 and explored in more detail in Grade 8, which also includes a lesson on condoms and a condom demonstration. Eliminating the discussion of condoms and other protection methods would be a red-light adaptation that would compromise the evidence base of the program.