State loses federal sex education funding (thanks Feds!)

[uppityperson]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/344701_education24.html

The Bush administration is cutting off funding for abstinence-only sex education in Washington because this state now requires schools to provide additional, medically accurate information about preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Up until this year, the state has received an annual $800,000 federal grant for abstinence-only sex education. The money was used to produce and air public service announcements as well as developing abstinence-only curriculums for schools. The programs had been used in many cases alongside more comprehensive sex education programs taught at the discretion of individual school districts.

This year, however, the Legislature passed a law that makes comprehensive sex education compulsory for all schools. Another state law requires that the Health Department apply for the abstinence-only grant.

Advocates for the comprehensive sex education law argued that the new curriculum would help reduce teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. But regardless of the outcome, the federal government will no longer provide the grant, which would have been about $200,000 this year. "We've been told that we can expect our proposal to be denied," Health Department spokesman Tim Church said. He added that the federal government has yet to formally deny the application in writing.... (more)

damn we libruls! How DARE we force the Feds to finance contraception and STD prevention!

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

1. Merry Christmas

And the new year brings high hopes.

[maxsolomon]

2. we can live with it.

things will change in 2009.

[Quantess]

3. Terrible, yet unsurprising.

Just yet another thing to dislike about the Bush Administration.