NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio applauds Franklin County Commissioners vote to fund comprehensive sex education
Students deserve medically accurate information and Ohioans are sick of political games
Columbus, OH – On Tuesday Franklin County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a $50,000 grant for comprehensive, medically accurate sex education programming to be provided in 19 Columbus middle and high schools by Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio. Not surprisingly anti-choice and abstinence-only-until-marriage organizations opposed this funding and spoke out against the proposal. “It is unfortunate that anti-choice organizations are continuing to promote medically inaccurate and dangerous abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education,” said Kellie Copeland, executive director for NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio. “I am sure it is not a coincidence that the first time that Ohio and Columbus Right to Life are speaking out against county funding for comprehensive, medically accurate sex education programs coincides with federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage funding being eliminated because those programs have been proven ineffective at preventing teen pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Anti-choice and abstinence-only organizations are getting desperate now that the billions of dollars that were given to them by the Bush Administration are going away.” NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio has been working over the last 10 months with city officials to see if there were alternatives to closing the Women's Health Center West which offered prenatal and general women's healthcare. A release from Ohio Right to Life earlier this week chastised the county for spending $50,000 on comprehensive sex-education when they had to close down clinics like the Women's Health Center West, which was operated with City, not County, dollars. “It is appalling that Ohio Right to Life only showed concern for the women who may be losing access to prenatal care and other health services only when it benefited them politically, not when the decision was actually being made,” Copeland said. “NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio was the only organization that was not funded by the City of Columbus who spoke out against the closing of the center earlier this year. Where was Ohio Right to Life when the decision was being made?” NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio policy director, Jaime Miracle testified before the Health, Housing and Human Services committee during the budget negotiations earlier this year and the organization's activists placed numerous calls, and delivered 200 petition signatures to city council members in opposition to the closing of the Women's Health Center West. “NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio was there to fight for access to prenatal care and well women's services earlier this year when those services were in jeopardy and we will continue to work with city and county officials to make sure that central Ohio residents have access to the full range of reproductive health options.” Copeland concluded.
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