Washington State: AIDS Group Seeks Rejection of Money

Washington state's Governor's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS has written a letter asking Gov. Gary Locke to reject federal money for educational programs that emphasize abstinence as the only prevention for STDs and pregnancy. Such programs "do not give students complete information that they need to help them make responsible choices about their sexual activity," said GACHA Chair Judith Billings in the letter to Locke. "To deny them a balanced program that offers life-saving knowledge is irresponsible."

The council wrote to Locke this month amid indications of Bush administration support for increasing abstinence-based education. GACHA believes stricter federal requirements are about to be imposed on the content of those programs, including strong assertions that sex outside of marriage is psychologically and physically harmful and that there are likely harmful consequences for children born outside of marriage.

Since 1997, Washington has received about $739,000 a year in federal funds for abstinence-based education, involving about 1,300 students in voluntary programs. The programs generally teach high- or middle-school students about teen pregnancy, decision-making and communication skills. State law requires state officials to apply annually for the federal grant, which must be matched by about $554,000 in state funds.

The governor would carefully examine any changes in the federal requirements before supporting rejection of the funds, said Victor Colman, a policy analyst for the state Department of Health and representative of Locke.

Condoms or any other form of contraception may not be discussed in programs using the federal grants. About 50 schools and four community-based programs use abstinence funds in Washington. Most of the money is used in programs that teach students how to develop media campaigns on abstinence. Sex education is not required in Washington, but all students must receive instruction on AIDS, including mention of condoms and abstinence as ways to reduce or eliminate risk of infection.

"Council members are strongly in favor of comprehensive health education which includes abstinence as a choice, but just as strongly unanimously oppose attempted indoctrination to a particular political/moral dogma that attempts to pass as good public education," the members wrote.

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