Ohio Groups Applaud Decision “Supporting Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Prevention”
Collaborative for Comprehensive School-Age Health
Ohio Governor Vetoes “Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage” Funding in State Budget CLEVELAND, OH—Today Ohio Governor Ted Strickland vetoed funding for so-called “abstinence-only-until-marriage” funding in the Ohio state budget by removing the requirement that funding adhere to federal Title V. In March of this year, newly-elected Gov. Strickland declared his opposition to the abstinence-only-until-marriage approach. "Quite frankly, I don't believe abstinence-only education programs work in the long run," Strickland told the Dayton Daily News at the time. "There is some evidence that they may delay the onset of sexual activity, but over the long term there are no data there that show they prevent, in a statistical sense, sexual activity outside of marriage." The Governor’s budget submitted to the state legislature did not include the $500,000 in state support for abstinence-only programs that the previous administration had provided. In May, however, the Ohio House and Senate, controlled by Republicans, restored the $500,000 to the budget approved by the legislature. But the legislative language also added some twists. The bill authorized $500,000 for “abstinence and adoption education programs,” and tied expenditure of those funds “to Title V of the Social Security Act, 42, U.S.C.” [Emphasis not in original.] That provision would have required implementation of abstinence-only programs according to the A-H provisions of Title V, instead of permitting the more flexible, “abstinence-plus” or comprehensive sexuality education programming favored by most Americans, and the majority of researchers in the field. The A-H requirements oblige any program receiving funds to teach, among other things, that “a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity,” “sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects,” and “bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child's parents, and society.” Critics of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs have pointed to a growing volume of studies that show the abstinence-only approach has little or no effect on unintended pregnancy or STD rates among youth. In April of this year, a study commissioned by the U.S. Congress demonstrated that “there is no evidence that the programs increased the rate of sexual abstinence." Others have criticized the “until marriage” language of the requirements as intrinsically insensitive to the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, who cannot marry in Ohio or in most of the rest of the U.S. Gov. Strickland’s action today strikes out the “pursuant to Title V” language in the bill, thus removing the requirement that state funds adhere to Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage rules. The Governor’s decision retains $500,000 of support for abstinence and adoption education programs, to be administered by the Ohio Department of Health—a provision the both sides of the debate have supported. “This is an important step forward,” said Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, one of the groups that have opposed abstinence-only funding as ineffective and wasteful of taxpayer funds. “By making this decision the Governor has sided with the prevailing scientific evidence, rather than the narrow ideological agendas of the groups that have received these funds. Reason, and the best interests of Ohio’s children, won out.” Earl Pike, executive director of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, agrees. “We have long argued that the ‘until-marriage’ requirement makes LGBT youth invisible, and dismisses their sexual health needs. The Governor’s action helps ensure that sexuality education reaches all of Ohio’s youth. He deserves Ohio’s gratitude for taking a courageous stand supporting comprehensive, evidence-based prevention.” Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland executive director Tara Broderick adds that most Ohioans reject the abstinence-only-until-marriage approach, pointing to a May, 2007 poll conducted by Quinnipiac University. In that survey, Ohioans agreed with the Governor’s position by a majority of 51% to 40%; among Ohioans with children in public schools, the percentage of Ohioans supporting the Governor’s decision increased to 53%, with only 35% in opposition. “The Governor is standing with Ohio parents, who overwhelmingly recognize the need for an honest, truthful approach to sex education in the schools,” said Broderick. A wide range of Ohio organizations were involved in advocating for a rejection of abstinence-only-until-marriage funding in Ohio, including the Collaborative for Comprehensive School-Age Health in Cleveland. The umbrella organization includes Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland, the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the Family Planning Association of Northeast Ohio, the United Church of Christ, the AGAPE Program of Antioch Baptist Church, the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, YWCA of Cleveland, and others.
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