Push to cut funding for abstinence-only education to begin in Obama Administration...

[cynatnite]

NEW YORK – With the exit of the Bush administration, critics of abstinence-only sex education will be making an aggressive push to cut off federal funding for what they consider an ineffective, sometimes harmful program.

How quickly and completely they reach their goal is uncertain, however, as conservative supporters of abstinence education lobby Congress and President-elect Barack Obama to preserve at least some of the funding, which now totals $176 million a year.

And even if federal funding is halted, some states — such as Georgia — are determined to keep abstinence programs going on their own, ensuring that this front in the culture wars will remain active.

Obama is considered an advocate of comprehensive sex education, which — unlike abstinence-only curriculum — includes advice to young people about using contraceptives if they do engage in sexual activity. However, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to elaborate on what the new president would propose in his own budget plan.

Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of American, depicted the federal abstinence-only program as "an utter failure that has wasted more than $1.5 billion" over the past decade. Like other critics, she noted that several major studies — including a federally funded review — have found no evidence that the abstinence-only approach works in deterring teen sex.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090118/ap_on_re_us/abstinence_education

[Triana]

1. $176 million is better spent on actual sex education and social skills

not bullshit religious ideology

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Isn't it funny that the teen pregnancy rate goes up

when repukes are in power, and goes down when Dems make the rules. Says something about a more comprehensive sex education program.

[2Design]

3. good maybe we can take that money and put it toward something that

will actually help people - that was such a waste of money - look how well that worked for bristol palin