Recently, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) contacted both Governor Blagojevich and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services, Carol Adams, to urge Illinois to join the national tide moving across the country where states are telling Washington "no thank you" when it comes to taking taxpayer money to run failed abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. To date, 25 states have turned down the money, citing the clear and compelling evidence that shows these programs do not work.
Illinois is becoming an island unto itself in promoting these extreme programs. The neighboring states of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin are just a few of the principled states siding with every major public health entity in this country in closing down these programs. Sadly, Illinois persists. In Fiscal Year 2008, the state of Illinois accepted over $1.8 million in abstinence-only-until-marriage funds through a federal funding stream known as Title V. So the question is: Why?
Perhaps the state's decision to continue accepting Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage funding is based on the private interests of certain people involved in the movement in Illinois. Not only does Illinois receive one of the largest chunks of abstinence-only-until-marriage funds, but it hosts two of the largest providers of the curricula which seep into schools, organizations, and after-school programs nationwide. For example, Scott Phelps, who got his start in anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers in the Chicagoland area, is the founder of the Abstinence and Education Marriage Partnership in Wheeling, and co-author of three of the most popular abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula, Game Plan, Aspire, and Navigator.
Project Reality, based in Glenview and one of the oldest abstinence-only-until-marriage industry leaders nationwide, distributes Phelps's fear- and shame-based Game Plan curriculum. Illinois supplied Project Reality $81,560 in Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage sub-grant funding in Fiscal Year 2008. But, starting on December 15, 2008, Project Reality will close its doors and merge with Phelps's group, marking an important combination of the resources and people of the two largest abstinence-only-until-marriage providers in the state. Phelps will continue to be the leader of the Abstinence and Education Marriage Partnership.
Despite his extreme views, Phelps seems to have unabated access to the Illinois Department of Human Services, the agency which is responsible for the distribution of Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage funds. Specifically, Anna Maria Accove, the Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage coordinator for Illinois, has apparently kept Phelps updated on SIECUS' research and requests for information, as documented on the Parents for Truth Illinois page. (SIECUS regularly contacts all coordinators in every state). Why is a state employee disclosing this information to a grantee if not to assist that grantee in continuing to feed at the trough? Whatever the case, it is unethical at best.
In addition to strong ties with two of the largest abstinence-only-until-marriage industry leaders in the country, Phelps also helped found the National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA), the lobbying arm of the abstinence-only-until-marriage industry. Among other activities, the NAEA propagates misinformation campaigns about the content and effectiveness of comprehensive sexuality education programs.
Make no mistake, Game Plan represents the extreme and dangerous approach that has left our young people vulnerable to making poor decisions. For example, Game Plan teaches: "Even more widespread than disease are the emotional scarring and deep wounds that come out of broken relationships. No matter how strong a condom is, it won't protect you from a broken heart" (p. 36). Another example directly from the curriculum reads, "The only safe sex is in a marriage relationship where a man and a woman are faithful to each other for life" (p. 38).
The problem, of course, is that even though we can encourage teens to wait to have sex, we have to make sure we send messages that don't undermine their ability to make good, responsible decisions when they do have sex. These examples from Game Plan do just the opposite; they persuade young people that there is no other option but to have sex in a marriage between two heterosexual people. Perhaps a worthwhile goal, but unfortunately, one that doesn't pan out in reality. In the third century, Saint Jerome wrote endless letters to women about how to keep their virginity and this is the same mantra now funded with tax dollars.
For her own part, Illinois'
Secretary of Human Services, Carol Adams, replied to SIECUS' questioning about Illinois' dogged support
of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs by writing:
"The Department of Human Services supports a myriad of services designed to address the goals of reducing teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The Abstinence Education Program is part of the continuum of services designed to address these goals. We are also supportive because the Abstinence Education Program addresses youth development through the promotion of life skill development."
The problem? Secretary Adams is wrong on the facts. Research shows that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs do not offer any real "life development" skills. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's own study of federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage programs conducted by Mathematica showed no delay in sexual initiation, reduction in sexual partners, or improved used of contraception.
Dr. Adams continues, "Many communities are in favor of this approach."
There are surely some individuals in support of these programs--but every major public health, medical, and education entity supports a comprehensive approach to sex education: the American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, The Society for Adolescent Medicine, and the National Education Association are just a few. Statewide polling shows that over 83 percent of Illinois voters and 92 percent of Illinois sex education teachers believe that whether or not young people are sexually active, they should be given accurate information about birth control and condoms according to research from the Illinois Campaign for Responsible Sex Education.
In addition to funding Project Reality with Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage dollars, Secretary Adams' department funds four crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs)--anti-choice establishments that typically advertise as providing medical services and then use anti-abortion propaganda, misinformation, and fear and shame tactics to dissuade women facing unintended pregnancy from exercising their right to choose. CPCs fail to offer young people any real information to make healthy decisions-yet the Secretary awarded nearly $250,000 towards these establishments in Fiscal Year 2008 alone.
If the goal is to reduce teen pregnancies and STDs in Illinois, the state must follow the national trend--not buck it--and halt taxpayer funding for extreme abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Such action will provide additional relief to the rest of the country and help end the gravy train for one of the most extreme providers nationwide, Project Reality. According to SIECUS' State Profile research, the two curricula sold by Project Reality are used in at least 15 states. By supplying funds for Project Reality, Secretary Adams is not only putting Illinois youth at risk, but financially backing one of the worst abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula nationwide.
Finally, Secretary Adams and Governor Blagojevich need to know that in every instance, the 25 states that have ended these extreme programs have done so without any political fallout whatsoever. Our leaders should lead. But they are more likely to do so when it is the safer option politically. Ending Illinois' subsidy of the abstinence-only-until-marriage industry is the politically safe option. Let's get it done.
