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Cheers to Virginia! State Rejects Ab-Only Funds

By Lauren Bull

November 21, 2007 - 9:15am

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Things are changing down here in Virginia -- changes I am welcoming with open arms. Not only did we just elect the first Democratic state senate in a decade, but Democratic Governor Tim Kaine just submitted a plan to eliminate $275,000 from our state budget that was to be used for abstinence-only funding through Title V.

As part of an effort to reduce a budget shortfall, the decision was made because the governor wants to see both evidence-based education that teaches both abstinence and contraceptive use. Delacey Skinner, Kaine's communications director, told the Washington Post that "the governor supports abstinence-based education, but the governor wants to see us funding programs that are evidenced-based." Skinner added that Virginia will now offer "more comprehensive" sex education.

While this decision only affects outfits that offer federally-funded sex education curricula, it sends a strong message to other states Virginia is willing to take a stand against a policy that has been proven ineffective, if not harmful, over and over again.

This is a huge step in the right direction for Virginia. We finally have leaders who are truly looking out for our youth and are not afraid to make some changes.

As a product of abstinence-only education in Virginia and a teacher of sexual education to students in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, I can assure you that Governor Kaine's decision could not come faster.

As I've noted in other posts, students nationwide are lacking the necessary information needed to protect themselves from teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. It has been irresponsible to deny them the education they deserve and that fellow students in other states receive. I can't wait for Virginia's students to start the new sexual education curriculum and I look forward to seeing declines in our teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections rates as a result.

Recently, Colorado and Minnesota, too, rejected abstinence-only funding (though RH Reality Check correspondent Wendy Norris discovered that Colorado's decline may have been more connected to logistics than principles). Virginia is now the fourteenth state to reject abstinence-only funding. I am so proud that we're finally moving in the right direction. Let's hope this (former) red state will set an example for other states who have yet to move forward.


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4 comments
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New Study Shows Virginia Abstinence Education Program Works

>>Virginia is willing to take a stand against a policy that has been proven ineffective, if not harmful, over and over again.

A new study found that a Virginia based abstinence education program works.

The study, An Abstinence Program's Impact on Cognitive Mediators and Sexual Initiation, found that after one year, program students had a substantially lower risk of sexual initiation than did comparison students (RR=.457, P=.008).

So now that the evidence is here, abstinence until marriage funding should be continued..

The study is to be published in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior.

Submitted by Ruben on November 21, 2007 - 11:09am.
Anti-Contracpetion Too?

Thanks for writing Ruben, it will be interesting to see that study, not just hear the spin, so we can see the methodology and compare it to the many scientifically valid studies that suggest otherwise. So far all that's out there is a press release from the not reputable NAEA trying to spin the report, and funny thing, most scientific journals, like say, The Lancet, are strict on people pre-releasing information before publication. Come back when you've got that peer-reviewed study and let's compare notes.

Oh, and Ruben, in addition to being opposed to teaching kids about evidenced-based sexuality education, I note that you left a link to an anti-contraception web site, so you're against adults having access to contraception too. Thanks for helping us point out to the 98 percent of adults that use contraception what the real agenda behind abstinence-only is.

Be the change you seek,

Scott Swenson, Editor

Submitted by Scott Swenson, RH Reality Check on November 26, 2007 - 10:41am.
Hooray to Governor kaine

I applaud Gov. Kaine in taking this productive step towards comrehensive, effective sex education for Virginia's youth.
Unfortunately, the mass hysteria among the conservative legislators has already begun. We must keep fighting to give our young people accurate information so they can make informed decisions.

Submitted by Carol I on November 21, 2007 - 11:15am.
Hooray for Evidence-Based Sex Education!

Kudos to Virginia for bringing back a balanced approach to Sex Education!! Here in Georgia, my 13 year old son has been subjected to abstinence-only sex education. It's not only the effectiveness of this program that lacks evidence. The claims and "facts" included in many of these abstinence-only "education" programs also lack a factual basis! My son came home with many misconceptions and downright wrong information after his sex ed classes. For instance, he was led to believe that you COULD NOT get pregnant if you had sex with someone you didn't love! He also thought that you COULD NOT get STD's from having sex with someone you do love! And he also thought that getting married was the "magic pill" that would make it easy to have children and that if he didn't get married and didn't love the girl, it would be nearly impossible to get a girl pregnant!!

Submitted by Anonymous on November 21, 2007 - 10:11pm.